SHILLONG: The BSF has sought the cooperation of the State police and the local populace in tackling cattle smuggling to Bangladesh.
Addressing media persons here on Monday, Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF)-Meghalaya Frontier, P.K Dubey, said, “We are trying to initiate joint efforts in collaboration with the police and locals.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural function of a skill development programme, Dubey informed that butcher associations in the State are cooperating with BSF.
When asked about the allegations of villagers at Purakhasia in West Garo Hills that BSF troops are taking away cattle without verifying the identity of owners, Dubey said, “In cattle smuggling cases, we sometimes catch the consignment deep inside (Indian side of the border) as such huge numbers cannot be consumed by the locals. However, in case a person can provide proof of his claims, BSF will release the cattle in question.”
“We are tapping the cattle right from the Assam-Meghalaya border,” he said.
Replying to allegations about shifting the rope that marks the Indo-Bangla border along the Umngot river at Dawki, he said, “That was a local arrangement to check movement of persons. It is not an official arrangement. We have posted our guards there to keep a check on the public.”
He informed that there has been a realignment of border at Pyrdiwah due to the new agreement between India and Bangladesh and pillars have been accordingly constructed in the area.
On the spurt of kidnapping cases in Garo Hills, he said, “We are ensuring that kidnapped persons are not taken across to border areas.”
