Cattle smuggling syndicates operating in State, admits Meghalaya Police finally

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Police, on Wednesday, admitted that there is a syndicate involved in cattle smuggling along the Assam-Meghalya border as well as those from Bangladesh. They admitted after years of reiteration by the border gaurds about an illegal consortium that has added to the multiple menaces indulged in by the cattle smugglers.

Conceding that cattle smuggling is an organised crime, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), G.K. Iangrai stated that the department has found evidences of cattle smuggling in the State. "This organised crime is in operation at several places in Meghalya which shares the inter-State boundary with Assam and the international boundary with Bangladesh," said AIG Iangrai.

"The syndicates which are involved in cattle theft and smuggling are working from both sides of the border to smuggle innumerable cattle from the State; and due to such illegal activities, a large number of cattle have been stolen. Cases have been being registered under relevant provisions of the law," Iangrai informed.

Providing the data, he said that 498 cases have registered from 2016 till date. Of these, 73 persons have been chargesheeted, final report filed in 205 cases and 220 cases are still pending investigation. A total of 229 persons have been arrested; and 7,640 cattle seized.

However, if one looks at the cattle seizure by the BSF in the past five years, the number is miniscule. The Sentinel had the first-hand account of the seizures at the fringes of the border prior to the lockdown.

AIG Iangrai further stated that the Department has issued a circular to all district SPs to be more vigilant and to thwart such illegal activities through patrolling, convening of public meetings at the grassroots-level and to liase with other stakeholders.

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