A late-night police operation in Assam’s Sribhumi district has led to the detention of four Bangladeshi nationals and an Indian man suspected of having links to an alleged cattle smuggling network.
The action was carried out at Mahakalgaon in the Badarpur area late Monday night. The operation was led by Sribhumi District Border Police DSP Mukut Kakati along with Badarpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manas Pratim Bora.
According to police, the four Bangladeshi nationals had allegedly crossed into India from the international border and were suspected of involvement in the illegal movement of cattle towards Bangladesh.
The detained Bangladeshi nationals have been identified as Rezaul Karim, Sabbir Ahmed, Rachel Ahmed and Hasan Ahmed. Police said all four are residents of Jakiganj village in Sylhet district of Bangladesh.
The Indian national detained during the operation has been identified as Fazal Uddin, a resident of Jagadishpur village in Cachar district, under the Katigorah constituency. Investigators suspect that he may have been functioning as an intermediary between those involved in the alleged cattle-smuggling operation.
Police said preliminary findings indicate that the group may have entered Indian territory through the Tukergram border area before attempting to facilitate the movement of cattle across the international border.
Following the detentions, Sribhumi Police have begun a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged border crossing and the suspected smuggling activity. Investigators are also examining whether the detained Indian national had connections with other individuals involved in the network.
Authorities are further looking into the possibility of additional persons being associated with the operation. The investigation is expected to establish how the group allegedly entered India, their intended route and the wider network, if any, behind the suspected cattle-smuggling activities.
