The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended 10 Indians for allegedly smuggling cattle from India to Bangladesh, early today and handed them over to New Jalpaiguri police station. Acting on a tip off, troops of Fulbari Border Outpost of 176 Battalion BSF under the control of North Bengal Frontier intercepted a buffaloladen lorry on National Highway 31 at around 4.30 am today.
Intelligence Branch of the BSF got a specific information that the lorry was on the way to Assam to supply buffalo for smuggling to Bangladesh. The BSF intercepted that lorry (No. UP 23 AT 1256) at Fulbari Toll Plaza near Siliguri in Jalpaiguri district. As the BSF asked the driver to show documents of the lorry for carrying buffalo, the driver produced some papers.
“But documents as produced by the driver of vehicle seem to be suspect,” the BSF official said. The BSF finally seized the lorry and 26 female buffaloes and 28 calves. The BSF detained 10 people, all Indian citizens, for alleged smuggling of cattle and handed them over to the police.
The apprehended Indians were identified as Sanwar Sheikh (34) Nurnobi Mondal (28), Guljar Ali (27), Abdul Bacher Tarafdar (38), Yusuf Ali (42), Abu Salam Pramanik (44 ), Abdul Barek Tarafdar (45) Anwar Hussain (27), Sohidur Hossain (40), who was the lorry driver, all residents of Dhubri district of Assam, and Mahiruddin Sheikh (35), co-driver, a resident of Kokrajhar district in Assam.
The BSF also recovered 10 mobile phones and Rs 61,190 from their possession. According to the BSF, total value of seized items is Rs 15,33,480. The apprehended Indian nationals were handed over to New Jalpaiguri police station.