Police seize 126 cattle ferried in trucks in two days
SHILLONG: There seems to be an alarming rise in the smuggling out of cattle from India to Bangladesh through the borders in Meghalaya.
Acting on a tip off on Wednesday night, SOT personnel seized four trucks (AS-01 BC 4374, ML05-G-6673, ML05-L-7688 and ML 05-G-3757) and a Tata mobile vehicle (ML10-A-9367) loaded with cattle that were meant to be smuggled out to the neighbouring country.
As many as 92 cattle were seized from the trucks which were detained at Pynursla police station.
SP City, Vivek Syiem informed that again on Thursday three more trucks (ML05-B-2213, ML06-B-2997 and ML05-N-0078) were intercepted at 12th Mile, Mylliem and 34 cattle, which were being illegally transported to Bangladesh, were seized. The trucks have been detained at Mawngap outpost.
The seized cattle have been handed over to Customs.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the allegation by the Khasi Jaintia Butchers’ Association that cattle from the Khanapara market was being smuggled out to Bangladesh, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) CEM, PN Syiem said that he will ask the Executive Member in Charge of Market to intervene into the matter.
“Whatever the case, it should be ensured that cattle are not smuggled to Bangladesh,” Syiem told reporters on Thursday.
It may be mentioned that the Khasi Jaintia Butcher’s Welfare Association recently said that it will suspend business activities from January 18 to February 3 in protest against the inability of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem and the State government to stop cattle smuggling to Bangladesh.
At the same time, the association also said that they will discontinue trading cattle from Khanapara which falls under the jurisdiction of Hima Mylliem, it has also urged the State government and the Syiem of Hima Mylliem to look into the matter and act appropriately.
Our Ri Bhoi
Correspondent adds
Meanwhile, taking exception to the alleged smuggling of cattle from Meghalaya to Bangladesh, the Syiem of Hima Mylliem accompanied by the Myntris conducted a surprise inspection of the cattle market at Khanapara in Ri Bhoi on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons after the inspection, Myntri K. Langstih said, “Cattle from the market should only be supplied to locals. If any illegal smuggling of cattle is detected, the perpetrators should be sternly dealt with by the State Government.”
The Myntri, however, added that there was no evidence that cattle from the market was being smuggled out.