GOLAGHAT: On Tuesday night, 35 cattle heads were rescued in Bokakhat, under Golaghat district. They were rescued from a truck that was intercepted by the police during a routine check.
After interrogating the driver, who is identified as Bulbul Hussain, the police discovered that the cattle heads were being smuggled from Kuruwabhi to Samuguri when the truck was stopped at Bokakhat. Reportedly, the driver has been detained as one of the accused in the seizure process.
Recently, 41 cattle heads were discovered and seized in Golaghat district. They were rescued from a container truck that had been stopped in Bokakhat on its way to Nagaon, Samuguri. In a similar incident, 32 cattle heads were taken in a large haul by Assam police last month from four vehicles in the Sivasagar district.
It came across that a truck even managed to escape from the police with animals in it. In spite of enforcing strict laws, cattle smuggling still continues to exists in the state. Even after numbers of arrests and actions against the traffickers it has not stopped but only the ways and techniques have changed. Assam police discovered almost 1100 incidents of livestock smuggling in the last year, according to government statistics. It was seen in a mass proportion during the past three years as a result of the relocation of cattle abduction of the South and North regions.
On 2021 the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill was passed in the assembly which focused primarily on seizing the existing property by entering the home of the accused person. They can inspect and search and take away anything they have purchased during the last six years using profits from illegal cattle trade.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, also restricts intra-state and inter-state transport of cattle, and sale of beef except at permitted locations. The relevant authority may inspect and seize cattle and vehicles used for offences under the Bill. Upon conviction, the seized cattle and vehicles will be forfeited to the state government.
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