Local police carried out an operation in Assam’s Jorabat early on Tuesday morning during which they were able to intercept three trucks transporting cattle illegally.

During the operation officials managed to rescue as many as 78 cattle heads, while apprehending four people in connection with the matter.

As per initial reports, the operation was carried out on national highway 37 at Jorabat which falls under the Kamrup metropolitan district of Assam.

According to officials, two of the vehicles were headed to Byrnihat and were coming in from Assam’s Numaligarh and Bokakhat. Another vehicle was coming in from Rupahi in the Nagaon district of Assam, added officials.

Meanwhile, four persons were detained by the police during the raid, said officials. Three of those detained were identified as Abibur Islam, Farooq Abdulla, and Ashiqul Islam, while the identity of the fourth was not immediately established.

The intercepted vehicles included two trucks and a pickup vehicle. The trucks had registration numbers AS 23 CC 0304 and NL 02 K 2695, while the pickup vehicle had registration number AS 01 OC 5717.

Visuals showed that some of the cattle heads perished during the smuggling bid, bodies of which were piled up beside the seized trucks, while a few struggling to stand indicating possible animal abuse.