Assam: 40 cattle recovered in crackdown on suspected smuggling network in Boko

Police in Assam's Kamrup district recovered 40 cattle and seized a vehicle and three motorcycles during a series of operations against alleged cattle smuggling in Boko over the past three days.

In the first operation, conducted on the night of September 9 in the Bandapara area, Boko Police recovered 19 cattle and seized a Mahindra pickup vehicle along with three motorcycles. No arrests were made in connection with the operation, police said.

In a separate operation in the early hours of September 11, personnel of the Hahim Police Outpost intercepted a truck allegedly transporting cattle towards Meghalaya. The operation was carried out based on information received by the police, with assistance from local youths of Mauman village.

The truck, bearing registration number AS-01-TC-9383, was found carrying 21 cattle, according to police.

Police arrested the truck driver, Saiful Islam, and two alleged associates, Rafikul Hasan and Salimuddin, in connection with the case. The three were subsequently sent to judicial custody.

With the two operations, police recovered a total of 40 cattle within three days as part of the intensified crackdown on the alleged smuggling network.

The 21 cattle recovered from the truck were brought to the Hahim Police Outpost along with the seized vehicle and were later sent to a gaushala.

According to information available, suspected cattle smugglers have been using routes through Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district to transport cattle from Assam towards Bangladesh.

The operations were conducted under the supervision of Boko Police Station Officer-in-Charge Munna Pachani, while Hahim Police Outpost Officer-in-Charge Atul Deka led the operation in the Mauman area.

Police have intensified surveillance along suspected routes used for the transportation of cattle as part of efforts to curb illegal smuggling activities in the region.