Five people were arrested on Friday on charges of cattle smuggling and 44 animals rescued in Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Police teams intercepted three load carriers, which were enroute to Kashmir valley, at Jakhani Chowk and Chenani areas of Udhampur district, they said.

They recovered 22 bovines and arrested Latief, Rashid Mohammad and Shabir Ahmed in connection with the case, officials said adding that a case has been registered. A truck, which was on its way to Kashmir valley from Punjab, was intercepted on Pathankot-Jammu-Kashmir highway at Lakhanpur belt of Kathua district, they said.

Thirteen cattle were rescued but the truck driver escaped from the spot and a hunt is on to track him down, police added. In two separate incidents in Reasi district, police arrested four cattle smugglers Mohammad Khan, Firdous Ahmed, Yusuf and Mohammad Afzal at Kanjli and Budhan area and rescued nine bovines, they said.

A case was registered and one vehicle has been seized, they added.