NEW DELHI, March 3 � After cattle, tortoise seems to be the most favourite animal for smugglers operating along the India-Bangladesh border.
While cattle are smuggled in lakhs, the Border Security Forces has managed to seize 1,213 tortoises in 2013, 1,261 in 2014 and 185 so far this year.
The number of cattle seized by BSF was highest in 2013, when it apprehended 1.22 lakh cattle and arrested 421 smugglers. Last year, 1.09 lakh cattle were seized, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju informed in Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, India appears all pleased with Bangladesh as Dhaka has been extending full cooperation through pro-active action against Indian insurgent groups based in that country. Several top leaders were uprooted from Bangladesh and during 2009-2014 at least 17 top leaders of various underground outfits operating from that country were arrested, while eight leaders have surrendered, Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhury said in a Lok Sabha reply.
However, certain insurgent groups, like those from Meghalaya, Tripura and Assam, continue to take shelter and use the adjacent Bangladeshi territories for anti-India activities.
