The farmers of Yeoor village in Thane are distressed and exhausted as cattle theft continues unabated. Over the past four to five years, they claim to have lost more than 400 cattle, including cows and bulls. There was a time, they recall, when the village was teeming with cattle—so much so that navigating the roads was a challenge due to the sheer number of animals. Today, that sight has all but vanished. While multiple factors may be at play, villagers are united in their belief that large-scale cattle smuggling by “outsiders” is a key reason behind the disappearances.

Vilas Raghunath Baraf, 36, a farmer from Patona Pada in Yeoor, owns an animal shed with five bulls and five cows. He explained that his cattle usually wander into the forest for food and return to the shed on their own by evening. However, on Wednesday (February 26) evening, two of his bulls did not return with the herd. Despite searching, he was unable to find them.