Gang stealing livestock busted in Petlad, 4 held

Vadodara: What began as a routine probe into theft of four cows soon turned into a dramatic late-night operation across villages in Anand district, leading Petlad rural police to an alleged gang stealing cattle and the recovery of six stolen cows.

Police officials said the case had triggered concern among cattle owners in the region, where livestock thefts often leave families financially shattered overnight.

Determined to crack the case quickly, Petlad rural police intensified surveillance, deployed patrol teams and began tracking suspicious movement in rural pockets around Virsad.

The breakthrough came during a night patrol when police received a precise tip-off about the suspected thieves. Acting swiftly, teams fanned out across the area and conducted coordinated raids before detaining four suspects.

The accused — identified as Bharat Talpada, Mukesh Talpada, Arjun Talpada and Jagdish Talpada — allegedly broke down during interrogation and confessed to stealing cattle.

But the story did not end there. As investigators dug deeper, the accused allegedly revealed details of another cattle theft carried out nearly a month ago in Jahaj village of Khambhat taluka. Police teams then followed fresh leads to hidden locations behind houses linked to the accused, where more stolen cattle were found tied and concealed.

By the end of the operation, police had recovered six cows valued at nearly Rs 3.5 lakh along with the mini-truck worth Rs 5 lakh allegedly used to transport the stolen animals. The total value of the recovered property stands at around Rs 8.5 lakh.

Officers involved in the probe said the swift recovery brought relief to livestock owners who feared the animals may have already been sold elsewhere.