Assam: Container truck carrying 41 cattle heads seized in Golaghat district

As many as 41 cattle heads were rescued from a container truck in Golaghat district in the morning of October 26.
The container truck bearing registration number AS 01 CC 8143, was intercepted which was en route Nagaon’s Samuguri from Bokakhat’s Bihora cattle market. The police upon seizing the truck, arrested the vehicle’s driver in connection to the seizure.

Earlier, on October 25, Bokakhat Police seized one Scorpio, illegally transporting 6 cattle heads.
Assam police on October 17 apprehended two cattle smugglers and recovered around 24 cattle heads in the state's Kaliabor town.

Acting on a specific input, the police also seized a truck bearing registration number NL-02K-3695 which was heading toward Nagaon from the Golaghat district. 
The arrested persons were identified as Rashidul Islam and Hazarat Ali.
A case has been registered and the police are investigating the matter.

On October 6, the police seized around 32 cattle heads from four pick-up vans in a raid against the illegal cow syndicate at the Baniabari intersection on National Highway 37 in the state's Sivasagar district. 
The four pick-up vans were intercepted while they were en route to Nagaon from Silapathar. In addition to this, as many as seven cattle smugglers were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Speaking to the media, the Officer in charge of Sivasagar police station said, "Based on secret information we have seized four vehicles from the Baniabari intersection in which 8 cattle heads are been found in four pick-up vans".
"The vehicles do not have permits to carry cattle and we are still investigating whether they were been transported legally or not," the officer added.

On the other hand, the police also recovered Rajmai cattle market receipts which are held in Sivasagar every Sunday along with the seized cattle which has made the matter even more mysterious.
It is to be mentioned here that earlier the Assam government amended the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021 which empowered 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, yet the illegal trade of cattle are flourishing in parts of the state.

Notably, the state government has already taken up stern measures including law for the protection of cows, however, visuals from Golaghat speak a whole new story.
As per visuals received exclusively with India Today NE, Golaghat district has become a massive hub for illegal cattle smuggling.

It has become a matter of concern for the locals in the area after witnessing herds of cows which are been thrown down in the strong stream of the river by the alleged gangs of cow syndicates which are controlled from the Lakhimpur district of Assam.

Herds of cows are been pushed down the Dhansiri river, which runs near Alisiga at Nambor Daigrong Wildlife Sanctuary on National Highway 39 in Golaghat district which is said to be the common route on how the cow syndicate circle often supplies cows to Nagaland.

Further, the cows are collected by the syndicate from different places and stored in the house of one Lal in Lurukihat in Golaghat which is later sent to Nagaland via a small field of Barpathar in Dhansiri sub-division.

Speaking to the media, one of the cattle transporters said, "We work on daily wage and get paid around Rs 2000, these cows are been stored here in Lurukihat at Lal's residence from where to take them every Sunday from Bihora Bazar".

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