Meghalaya: BSF rescues 25 cattle meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh

Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya on Thursday rescued 25 cattle from the International border of West Jaintia Hills which were meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh.

The BSF also confiscated three vehicles in which these cattle were found crammed.

"In a joint operation with Meghalaya Police, the Mobile Check Post (MCP) of BSF Meghalaya confiscated three vehicles crammed with 25 cattle meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh from the International border of West Jaintia Hills," said BSF in a statement.

Further investigation is underway.

Last month, police in Assam's Nagaon district seized two dozen cattle from smugglers.

"On the basis of source information today, SI Simanta Ray, O/C, Jakhalabandha PS, along with PS staff, detained one truck bearing Reg. No. AS 25EC 9833 which was illegally transporting 24 cattle heads from Jorhat side towards Meghalaya," Nagaon Police tweeted.

"Accordingly the vehicle and the cattle heads were recovered and seized. The following cattle smugglers were apprehended namely - 1. Rabul Islam, 27 years, S/O Akash Ali 2. Ekdil Hussain, 21 years, S/O Muslim Uddin Both of Vill Datialguri, PS Beloguri, Dist Morigaon," another tweet said.

Back in October, the district police seized over four dozen cattle heads. In three separate operations at three locations, Nagaon Police recovered 50 cattle -- 4, 23, and 23 -- respectively.

Illegal cattle trade is rampant in the state and Assam Police has been going hard against cattle smugglers and has strengthened its vigilance mechanism.

( With inputs from ANI )