After Elephants, Tripura HCs Judge Justice Amarnath Gaud Allows Transport of Large Number of Cattle Outside State to NGO Shelters

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, March 23, 2026

In a significant ruling that has sparked fresh debate over animal transfers from Tripura, the Tripura High Court has permitted the transportation of a large number of cattle outside the state to shelters run by an NGO.

A single bench of Justice Amarnath Goud, while hearing a petition filed by Dhyan Foundation, 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.

The court noted that fodder prices in Tripura are significantly higher compared to other states and pointed out that the government had neither provided adequate fodder nor allowed relocation.

It further observed that forcing the animals to remain in such conditions amounts to cruelty, and delays in transport could worsen their situation.

The High Court also questioned the state’s earlier proposal to distribute the cattle within Tripura, stating that no such provision exists under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017.

Additionally, the court expressed concern that such distribution could expose the cattle to risks, especially in view of ongoing issues related to cattle smuggling in border areas.

Dhyan Foundation currently houses around 2,100 cattle in Tripura and nearly 22,000 cattle in its Jharkhand gaushala. The NGO argued that similar transfers had been allowed in the past and that denial of permission would adversely affect animal welfare.

This development comes in the backdrop of earlier controversies involving the transfer of elephants from Tripura to facilities outside the state under court supervision.

While those cases were conducted under legal frameworks and monitored mechanisms, the latest order has once again brought attention to the increasing movement of animals outside Tripura in the name of NGO shelters.

The petitioner was represented by Advocate Harish Pandya, while the state government was represented by Government Advocate Mangal Debbarma.

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