DHUBRI, July 22 - With the rise in the water level of the mighty Brahmaputra, cattle smuggling through the riverine areas of Dhubri district has increased significantly.
Border Security Force (BSF) sources informed this correspondent that due to the rise in the water level of the river since the onset of monsoon, cattle smuggling business is on the rise due to the creation of new �boatable channels� alongside the border. They also informed that as the char areas have been highly flooded, the affected people are not being able to manage their cattle resulting in their selling the same to the smugglers at low prices. The latter then smuggle the cattle across the border at much higher rates.
�We have observed that smuggling is on the rise because the smugglers are getting cattle from the flood-affected victims at cheap rates, which they sell across the border at three-four times their cost price� said Jitu Deori, an official of the BSF adding that, �the people in the flood-affected areas are forced to sell the cattle as they become unmanageable for them at this time.�
In April this year, as many as 2943 cattle worth Rs 2,74,28, 700 were seized by the BSF, while in May the number rose to 3761 cattle worth Rs2,89,52,50. In June this year, 3306 cattle worth Rs 2,49, 24,600 were rescued by the security forces, but this month in the last 20 days, as many as 3683 cattleheads worth Rs 2,25,59,700 were prevented from being smuggled to Bangladesh. �This month the seizure of cattle is expected to reach an all-time high� said Deori and added that only on Tuesday and Wednesday as many as 582 cattle worth Rs 34, 34,000 was seized.
The official also informed that they have apprehended the smugglers and seized the cattle during attempts to cross the unfenced border areas at night time.
