Odisha police carried out a large, coordinated crackdown on cattle smuggling on Saturday, 17th January, raiding multiple locations across five districts and seizing cash, gold, vehicles, and documents worth Rs 1.40 crores. The operation, led by the Keonjhar police, is part of the state government’s ongoing ‘Goraksha’ campaign against cattle smuggling networks.
In a multi-district crackdown on organised cattle smuggling, Odisha’s Keonjhar police seized ₹1.40 crore in cash along with a large quantity of gold ornaments during simultaneous raids at nine locations, @satyabarik reports.https://t.co/58M7fX1Esv
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) January 17, 2026
Police officials said as many as 47 teams were deployed in a carefully planned operation that stretched across Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Khordha districts. The raids were carried out simultaneously to prevent suspects from moving money or assets once action began in one area.
Cash, gold and vehicles were seized across the districts
During the raids, police recovered more than Rs 1.40 crore in cash, along with around one kilogram of gold and three kilograms of silver. Several vehicles were also seized, including 11 four-wheelers and 13 two-wheelers. Mobile phones, land documents, and details of multiple bank accounts were taken into custody as part of the investigation.
In Keonjhar district, searches were conducted in areas such as Santarapur, Kaliahata, Telkoi, Ghasipura, Turumunga, and Jamujodi under the Harichandanpur police station.
At the same time, teams moved into Bisoi, Karanjia, Jharpokhria, Tentoposhi, Chadheibhol, Kendrei, and Thakurmunda in Mayurbhanj district. Raids were also carried out in Korei in Jajpur district and at several locations in Bhadrak district.
The scale of the operation was significant, involving five Deputy Superintendents of Police, 25 inspectors, 36 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, along with additional police force.
High-profile raid in Bhadrak draws attention
One of the most high-profile actions took place on Friday, 16th January at Mullasahi under Purunabazar police station in Bhadrak district. Police raided the residence of Sheikh Tajuddin, following inputs related to cattle smuggling activities in the area. The house was secured by two platoons of force and senior officers before the search began.
Police found large stacks of Rs 500 currency notes inside the house. The amount was so large that money-counting machines had to be brought in to count the cash, which crossed Rs 70 lakh at that location alone. Gold ornaments and important documents were also recovered during the search.
Officials said documents linked to a shopping mall and a residential college near the Bhadrak Bypass Road, believed to be owned by Tajuddin, were found and are now part of the investigation. Vehicles parked on the premises were also thoroughly checked.
Legal action and wider probe underway
Keonjhar Superintendent of Police Nitin Kushalkar said the police will move the court to seize the recovered assets under Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He confirmed that the operation was conducted after obtaining proper search warrants and based on earlier complaints and intelligence inputs.
Police sources said that around nine officers, including one DSP, two inspectors, and six sub-inspectors, directly handled the Bhadrak raid, supported by two platoons of armed force. At the same time, 46 teams were active across other districts to ensure no gaps in enforcement.
The counting of seized cash and verification of documents is still ongoing. Officials said the investigation will now focus on tracking financial links, property holdings, and the wider network involved in cattle smuggling across districts.
Senior officers described the operation as one of the largest recent actions against cattle smuggling in the state, signalling that similar drives will continue in the coming days.
