Guwahati: Ever Since the Cattle Protection Bill 2021 came into force in Assam, the cow smuggling rackets have been facing a tough time. But the notorious cow smugglers always try new tricks to smuggle cows to cheat the vigilant police and security agencies. Such an incident has come to light after Assam police seized a huge consignment of beef and arrested two smugglers in the Dhubri District. Dhubri police, on January 3, seized 900 Kg of beef carried illegally by two smugglers in a pick-up van in the Bheta Bazar area of the bordering District.
Based on credible input, a team led by College Town Out-Post in charge Bhaskar Jyoti Nath College Town Out-Post In-charge conducted a raid in Jhagrarpar and Bheta Bazar area, where a bolero pick-up van was detained along with two persons. A police team arrested cow smugglers Sahidur Rahman resident and Nomizul Hoque; both are residents of the Bilasipara area of the District.
The police team found a huge quantity of raw beef, nearly over 900 Kg, hidden inside the vehicle covered with onion and potato sacks. In police interrogation, the smugglers confessed that they were trying to smuggle the beef from Dhubri to the neighbouring State of West Bengal. It should be mentioned that because of the strict vigil of police and security forces, cow smuggling through Assam is now almost impossible, so the smugglers try to smuggle raw beef hidden under food grains and other materials. But that too was foiled by the police.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the two accused in Dhubri College Town Out-Post bearing PS C/No 03/2023 U/S 295(a)/379/411 IPC R/W sec 13(1) of the cattle preservation act. The slaughtering of cows and cattle below 14 years of age without proper permission from the competent authority in Assam is banned under the cattle protection act 2021. Carrying cattle and beef is also prohibited under the same act without valid documents. Consumption of beef under 5 Kilometre radius of religious institutions of Hindu and other non-beef-eating communities is also strictly prohibited under the same act.
More than 1,300 cow smugglers have been arrested in the last 18 months, and over 8,000 cattle were rescued from those smugglers
Meanwhile, based on reliable source information, Rupahihat PS staff in Nagaon District intercepted a vehicle bearing Registered No. AS02CC 2373 (Tata Ace) at Saidariagaon road, which was illegally loaded with 15 cattle heads without any valid documents. Two cow smugglers, Mofizul Hoque and Saiful Islam have been arrested in this connection, and the vehicle and cattle heads were seized. It should be mentioned that under the aegis of the Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP Government, Assam police has successfully run operations to root out cow smuggling from the State. More than 1300 cow smugglers have been arrested in the last 18 months, and over 8,000 cattle were rescued from those smugglers.
Earlier on December 30, 2022, the police in Dibrugarh arrested men with eight bags of suspected beef weighing 423 Kg. The beef smugglers were identified as Miraj Khan, Yunus Khan, and Imran Ali of Dibrugarh.
On the other hand, Troops of 110 Bn under Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya rescued 31 buffaloes brutally crammed in trucks at the International Border of East Khasi Hills on January 1. These buffaloes were brought there for further smuggling to Bangladesh.
BSF acting on a specific tip-off, confiscated buffalo-laden trucks on Ichamati- Shella road close to International Boundary. Buffaloes were found crammed inside 02 trucks and tethered mercilessly in a pathetic condition. On seeing BSF approaching, both the drivers ran into the forest, leaving these trucks behind. The BSF has intensified its vigil on vulnerable routes/patches and is dominating the sensitive areas by deploying additional workforce and surveillance gadgets. BSF Meghalaya rescued 3,308 cattle last year from the clutches of smugglers.
