BSF nabs two Indians while smuggling cattle to Bangladesh

India's Border Security Force (BSF) has apprehended two Indian smugglers in Malda district under the South Bengal frontier while they were trying to cross the Ganga river with four cattle to Bangladesh, the force said on Saturday.

The smugglers were held on Friday by the 78th Battalion of BSF from the general responsibility area of border outpost Sovapur, based on inputs received from the intelligence branch. A boat patrolling party was formed immediately soon after the information was shared with the company commander of border outpost Sovapur and a party was sent for checking in the suspected area.

"At around 3.15 pm, the movement of cattle along with some smugglers was observed by HHTI (Night Camera) in the river area of Char. Acting immediately, the BSF Boat Party surrounded them in the river and rescued four cattle and apprehended an Indian smuggler," said the BSF.

Later, the force said, one more Indian smuggler, who was hiding from the Char area itself, was apprehended during the search of the area. The second smuggler was the accomplice of the first apprehended smuggler.

The smugglers were later identified as Masood Rana, a resident of Deonapur village in Malda district, and Amir Sheikh, a resident of Saubhapur village in Malda district.

Masood revealed during interrogation that he had met one Anwar Sheikh who had promised to give him Rs 10,000 Indian currency after crossing these four cattle from India to Bangladesh, said an officer in the BSF.

The officer said that Masood was asked to give these cattle in Bangladesh to Master Sheikh, resident of Manoharpur village in Bangladesh.

"Masood revealed that when he used to plan the smuggling of cattle, he was afraid of getting caught by the BSF. Today, as soon as the cattle were dumped in the river for smuggling, he was apprehended by the BSF in the middle of the river," said the officer.

The apprehended Indian smugglers have been handed over to the Vaishnavnagar police station for further legal action.

Vishwabandhu, officiating commanding officer of 78 Battalion stated that cattle smugglers try to smuggle the cattle through the unit area by taking advantage of floods but with the help of alert BSF troops and modern night cameras, their nefarious plans are getting thwarted.