Cattle smuggling funds also go to jihadis: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that "a portion of cattle smuggling funds goes to the wallet of jihadis".

Talking to the media in Guwahati today, the Chief Minister said, "The illegal cattle smuggling business is to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees. Assam and the other states of the Northeast are victims of cattle smuggling. Cattle smuggling funds going to the hands of jihadis is under investigation and is coming to a clear and specific conclusion. The State DGP has detailed information on this front.

"The police action against criminals is the same, irrespective of their creed or religion – be they cattle smugglers or other criminals."

The funds of cattle smuggling going to jihadis came to light after the arrest of the two wanted cattle smugglers in Assam – Akbar Banjara and Salman Banjara – from Uttar Pradesh. The Assam Police had declared a reward of Rs 2 lakh leading to their arrests. A few days back, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested the duo, and the Assam Police brought them to Assam. The Assam Police could elicit information that cattle smugglers and jihadis are hands in glove.

While the two cattle smugglers lost their lives, four police personnel sustained injuries in an early morning ambush by extremists at an interior area in the Raimona National Park in the Kokrajhar district on Tuesday last. The police took the duo to Kokrajhar to find out more about the route used for cattle smuggling when they came under firing from militants.

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