New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) In a major operation close to the India–Nepal border, troops of the 41Bn Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) chased down and apprehended a truck carrying 40 buffaloes without proper documentation. While two persons in the truck managed to flee, one was taken into custody.
He said the animals were being transported from Bihar to Assam via West Bengal.
The incident occurred around 7.20 a.m. on Tuesday when, acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team of E Company Kadomani Jote and G Company Bhatgaon of the SSB Ranidanga established a mobile check post on NH-327 near Galgalia in Bihar, approximately three km from the nearest border pillar.
While vehicles were being checked, a suspicious truck attempted to evade the check post. The vehicle was intercepted after a brief chase.
“There wasn’t sufficient space for the animals in the truck, and they were being transported in an extremely inhumane manner,” a senior SSB official said.
The truck, bearing registration number WB-57D-9898, was from West Bengal. The arrested person has been identified as Md Khabin Hussian from North Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
“During interrogation, he disclosed that the consignment had been loaded from Dagarua in Purnia, Bihar, for transportation to Assam. On noticing a police naka near Naxalbari, the driver allegedly attempted to turn back to avoid checking,” the official said.
The man, animals, along with the vehicle and other seized items, have been handed over to Galgalia Police Station for further legal action.
While slaughter of cattle and their smuggling is banned in Assam, laws are often violated. Cattle brought from other states move to Meghalaya or cross the border into Bangladesh from Assam. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently said his government has adopted a “zero tolerance policy” against cattle theft, smuggling, and the illegal trade in beef.
Police in the state arrested 856 people and seized 4,355 heads of cattle between January and May 2026. As many as 425 cases were registered in this connection between January 1 and May 19. Over 2,980 kg of beef was also seized during raids, Sarma said.
According to police in Bihar, efforts are underway to trace the origin of the 40 buffaloes seized. Officials said there are indications this was an effort by an organised racket that smuggles cattle to Assam for illegal slaughter or onward transportation. A search is also underway in West Bengal for the two members of the gang who managed to escape.
The arrested man has provided some vital leads and officials said the case will be cracked soon. The SSB has also alerted its troops to remain vigilant against such illegal movement through their area of responsibility.
–IANS
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