A CORRESPONDENT
PALASBARI: Cattle are still being smuggled from Assam to Bangladesh through neighbouring Meghalaya on a regular basis despite the occasional raids against illegal cattle smugglers in various parts of the state on the direction of the Assam Chief Minister.
According to sources, cattle are transported via the NEC Road through Jirang and Mairang, eventually reaching the West Khasi Hills region and then being smuggled into Bangladesh. The sources also mentioned that the trucks can carry between 100 and 150 cattle, and in larger trucks, the number can reach 200 to 300. Large-scale smuggling syndicates must be behind this operation, with vehicles passing through areas like Boko, Chhaygaon, and Palasbari before entering Meghalaya.
The syndicate pays a fee of Rs 25,000 per vehicle to transport cattle from Assam to Meghalaya. Similarly, cattle are transported in pickup vans from Chhaygaon in Assam to Kulshi, then into Borduar’s Rabha Hasong area. The vehicles, after passing through Loharghat and Bagan Bazar, enter Meghalaya’s Umshru and continue further within the state. Upon reaching Meghalaya, the cattle are offloaded from the smaller vans and transferred to larger trucks. What follows is a horrific sight: the cattle are loaded onto the trucks with their necks and legs tied, and their mouths and noses are stuffed with plastic to keep them silent.
The cattle mafia brings in these cattle from Goroimari, Suntoli, Nagarbera, and Kalatoli in South Kamrup and Bahri in Barpeta and uses the NH17 to come to Bijoynagar and then through Muslim Sarpara, Rangamati, Bakarapara, Parakuchi, Barbakara, and Lahotighat to Garileak. From there, the cattle are loaded into commercial carriers and moved through Mataikhar, Patgaon, Rangsai, Bakhalapara, Jimirgaon, and Umchur to move through different routes and reach Pathakarkhama, where they drop the animals at specific points before returning. After a day or two, separate vehicles take the animals to their final destinations.
Locals alleged that cattle smugglers have been assisted by leaders and activists of various ethnic groups and clubs in the area in exchange for money. It remains to be seen what action the newly appointed Guwahati Police Commissioner Dr Partha Sarathi Mahanta will take on the sensitive issue of cattle smuggling to Meghalaya via Jalukbari, Azara and Rani.
There is a lot of suspicion among the people about the mysterious role played by Palasbari and Chhaygaon Police Stations as well as the Bijayanagar Outpost in Kamrup district. It may be stated here that there is no police guard in the area where cattle smuggling is taking place. Locals demanded the state government to set up a police station or guard post near the Mataikhar Primary Health Center (PHC) or Matiphuta Satra at Rani in Kamrup district.
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