BSF alleges extreme cruelty to animals by cattle smugglers

SHILLONG: Animals are put through extreme cruelty when they are illegally transported across the Indo-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a statement issued on Sunday.
In the statement, the BSF said that its troops have seized more than 200 cattle in the last two days.
“These smugglers show extreme cruelty towards animals during illegal transport,” said Kuldeep Saini, Inspector General of BSF Frontier Meghalaya.
The BSF admitted that there are many unplugged gaps along the international border and “joint efforts are required to be taken with state police and other sister agencies to curb this menace”. On Sunday, the troops deployed in South Garo Hills’ Gasuapara seized five trucks loaded with 80 animals crammed inside the vehicles.
On Saturday, BSF troops in East and South West Khasi Hills seized 179 cattle worth more than Rs 38 lakh. The border sentinel said the smugglers were trying to slip through the unfenced stretches.
With these seizures, the number of cattle found by BSF troops is 410 in the last week.