Guwahati: In a crackdown against cattle smuggling, Assam police have seized a total of 113 cattle heads from different locations of the state on Thursday.
In Jorabat, police seized 35 cattle heads from a truck bearing registration no (NL-01-AB-4928). The truck carrying the cattle coming from Dhemaji side to Brnyihat,Meghalaya via Jalukbari.
The driver and handyman of the truck was arrested and identified as- Akramin Hussain(19), Mustafa Ali(21). Both hails from Nagaon district.
Similarly, another truck carrying 42 cattles were intercepted at Sonapur on Thursday night. The truck bearing registration no. (AS01 NC 7286) has been seized, which was coming from Sivasagar to Barnyhat, Meghalaya.
The driver Sadam Hussein and another involved person Sadiqul Islam have been apprehended.
In another seperate incident, another truck carrying 36 numbers of cattles were detained under Khetri police station in Nagaon district. The truck was carrying 36 numbers of cattles from Silapathar and going towards Barnyhat in Meghalaya. The driver and another involved persons have been apprehended.
“Most of the cattle trucks which were seized has been going towards Meghalaya. We have arrested the drivers and started interogation,” said a police official.
He said, “Its a big racket and due to the alertness of our police team, we have successfully apprehended the cattle laden truck which were illegal transported to Meghalaya,”.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, was amended in the assembly and which empowers the police to enter the house of an accused and inspect, search and seize properties acquired in the last six years with money earned from illegal cattle trade.
On August 13, the assembly had passed The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, banning cattle slaughter and sale of beef in areas where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in a majority or within a five-kilometre radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monasteries) or any other institution as maybe prescribed by authorities.
But still after having the stringent law to protect cattle smuggling, cattle smuggling has been thriving in Assam.