Police sources said news of the discovery spread like wildfire and 400-500 people got together. When the police tried to disperse them, the mob reportedly resorted to stone-pelting, injuring a couple of policemen and damaging some government property.

According to the police, the truck was detained because its papers were incomplete. The driver and his helpers disappeared soon after the vehicle was moved to the police station. Since the truck was swathed in canvas, and there was no mention of the cargo in the truck's papers, they did not know what was at the back, the police said.

District Superintendent of Police K L N Rao said the animals died of suffocation.