The Surat Police questioned around 15 cattle shed owners nearby, but nobody came forward to claim the buffaloes. (Source: Kamal Saiyed) The Surat Police questioned around 15 cattle shed owners nearby, but nobody came forward to claim the buffaloes. (Source: Kamal Saiyed)

None of the herdsmen who have sheds around the Surat airport have come forward to claim the buffalo that died after running into a Spice Jet aircraft taking off for Delhi on Thursday.

The airport is surrounded by 15 to 17 cattle sheds spread around Gavier village in Surat city. The airport authorities on Saturday carried out an aerial survey for stray cattle in the airfield area on a helicopter and found three buffaloes of which two were seized by Surat Municipal corporation. Fearing penal action, Nobody came to claim even the impounded bovines.

READ: Pictures show tarmac death hasn’t ended bull run at Surat airport

The Surat Police questioned around 15 cattle shed owners nearby, but not a single cattle herder admitted that his buffalo had gone missing, nor had anybody reported the missing buffalo to the police. The officials had taken statements of 15 such cattle shed owners and also are questioning villagers, who rear buffaloes.

Surat Airport authority had also taken help from SMC’s stray cattle nuisance removal cell to catch the stray cattle grazing in the airfield area of Surat airport, which is spread in 312 hectres of land. The SMC with different teams started a search operation but not a single cattle was found in the airfield area in the day time. Accompanying the airport officials were veterinary doctors armed with tranquilising guns.

Late evening, three from the team spotted the three buffaloes grazing and caught two of them.

Surat Municipal corporation incharge Zoo Superintendent Dr. P G Mehta said, “We have rescued two buffaloes from the airfield area, till Saturday evening, and it was too much dark as a result of which, we will continue search on Sunday morning onwards. The custody of rescued buffalo is with us and so far nobody had come ahead to claim it.”

Dumas Police inspector S J Pawar said, “We have taken statements of 15 cattle shed owners and some villagers of Gavier village, but denied about the ownership of dead buffalo. We even tried to convince them that if they claim such ownership they will get compensation amount, but they denied.”

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.