Kolkata: Sonarpur police have arrested four persons, including suspected mastermind Azgar Fakir of Magrahat, for allegedly running a cattle theft racket using modified SUVs to transport stolen cattle.Police said the gang used Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo vehicles, removing seats to create space for cattle while keeping the vehicles outwardly indistinguishable from ordinary cars.The arrests followed a probe into the theft of three cattle from an ISKCON cowshed in Sonarpur. CCTV footage and other leads helped investigators identify Azgar as a key suspect.Police suspect the racket may have links to cattle-smuggling networks in other districts and Bangladesh. They said Azgar had allegedly been involved in smuggling cattle to Bangladesh earlier.According to police, the gang allegedly collected cattle from different areas, transported them in the modified vehicles and later slaughtered them for local sale of meat.“Four persons, including the alleged mastermind, have been arrested. We are investigating who else is involved,” said Arabind Kumar Anand, SP, Baruipur Police District.
