The driver and his aide, both from Tamil Nadu, have beenarrested and charged under relevant sections of the EpidemicDiseases Ordinance 2020, which empowers the Kerala governmentto take special measures to deal with a pandemic.
Police said the van was seized by their personnel aatMulakkulam Valappil Padi, the border area of Ernakulam andKottayam districts.
The duo told police that the pigs were meant to betaken to Peruva in Kottayam district and had been thoroughlyexamined by veterinarians in Coimbatore. However, they did not have a certificate either fromthe veterinary department in Tamil Nadu or in Kerala for theironward journey after crossing the border, they said
Their agent in Kerala refused to accept his role inbringing pigs from Tamil Nadu, police said.
Police said they are examining whether the pigs weresmuggled into the state through an unauthorised route,avoiding the Walayar checkpost. Piravom Municipal Chairman Sabu K Jacob and ViceChairperson Annamma Domy who visited the spot alleged thatthere has been a serious breach of security at the borders anddemanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
The health department authorities and officials from theanimal husbandry department also visited the spot.
The driver and aide will be put under 28 days quarantineafter their medical examinations, officials said.
Piravom Municipal authorities said the pigs would behanded over to the government-owned Meat Products of IndiaLtd,a major Indian meat processing, packaging and distributioncompany based in Edayar in Ernakulam district. TGB APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH