The High Court of Tripura has directed the state government to issue a transit permit in favour of an NGO to transport rescued cows from the state to its facility in Jharkhand. The directive followed a writ petition submitted by the organization, Dhyan Foundation, seeking the court’s intervention to allow the transport of rescued bovines to its ‘gaushala’ in Jharkhand. A single bench of Justice Amarnath Goud, while hearing the petition, directed the state government to immediately issue transport permits and facilitate the relocation of rescued cattle from Tripura to the NGO’s gaushala in Jharkhand. The High Court strongly criticized the Tripura government for withholding permits and failing to provide adequate justification for its actions. The bench observed that there is no legal provision empowering the state to restrict lawful inter-state transport of such animals.
Raising serious concerns over the government’s approach, Justice Goud questioned whether the state was prepared to bear the financial burden of maintaining thousands of cattle if relocation was denied. “If the petitioner leaves the state, will you spend crores to maintain these cattle?” the court asked, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s vague response. The case pertains to cattle rescued by the Border Security Force (BSF) and currently housed in shelters managed by Dhyan Foundation in Tripura. The NGO sought permission to transfer these animals to its Jharkhand facility, citing better infrastructure, lower fodder costs, and improved safety.
