BSF seizes Cattle

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JUNE 17: In yet another setback to cattle smugglers, the border security force (BSF) seized a total of 144 cattle along the international border in six incidents before they could be smuggled out to neighbouring Bangladesh.

BSF troops deployed at Ganganagar in West Khasi Hills District on Friday night immediately swift into action on noticing 3-4 smugglers along with cattle heads moving towards Bangladesh.

While the smugglers fled away, the BSF troops cordoned the area and recovered 50 cattle worth more than Rs 7 lakh.

These cattle were being smuggled to Bangladesh taking advantage of unfenced area of Ganganagar, the boundering area of South Garo Hills Distt and South West Khasi Hills Distts of Mehalaya.

According to BSF officials, these cattle are unloaded huge in numbers by the vehicle on Hill road which is 3 Kms away from international border and thereafter taken through thick foliage and forested area for crossing over to Bangladesh.

Similarly in another incident, the BSF troops deployed at Purakhasia, South West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya launched a special operation and seized 45 cattle worth over Rs 5 lakh.

UK Nayal, Deputy Inspector General, Meghalaya frontier, has instructed Intelligence branch about the sure increase in cattle smuggling in coming days due to upcoming Eid festival in Bangladesh.

After analyzing the new trends, she has issued new directives to teams of Eastern Command of BSF.  The price of beaf is more than double in Bangladesh compared to India.

With the recent slump in the smuggling and resultant demand-supply gap, the beaf price has skyrocketed in Bangladesh.

The troops of Border Security Force are increasingly facing physical assaults by smugglers also.

Moreover, the cow-traffickers have also developed a well-oiled counter-intelligence network.

There are ‘linemen’ whose task is to keep tabs on the movement of BSF troopers. Then there are ‘transporters’ who ensure the cattle go across the border, and there are ‘stoners’ who rain stones on the BSF party to scatter.

This type of modus operandi being adopted by the cattle smugglers since a huge stretch of Indo-Bangla border is still without fence, despite of regular movements of BSF troops gaps do create.

The BSF has been regularly persueing the locals to co-operate in providing land for erection of fence.

The incidents of cattle smuggling have been on the rise across the International Border with Bangladesh with a vigilant troops of BSF making quite a few breakthrough, still the meance has continued.

After continuous anti -smuggling drive and putting extra vigil on the border to prevent and curb smuggling, the BSF has been achieving a great success in countering the cattle smuggling and apprehension of smugglers.

PK Dubey, Inspector General, Meghalaya Ftr has congratulated the troops for their successful seizures and directed to be more careful in coming days.

The BSF has seized 361 cattle, and contraband items worth more than Rs. 58 Lakh, while being smuggled out from India to Bangladesh on the International Border along Meghalaya during last week.

All the seized items handed over to concerned department for further legal action.