238 cattle seized in Birpara operation; 20 arrested for smuggling

In a recent operation conducted by the 17th battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Asian Highway-48 under Birpara police station, a total of 238 cattle (buffaloes) were seized from six containers. The operation, carried out on Thursday, resulted in the arrest of 20 individuals on charges of cattle smuggling. The arrested individuals hail from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam.

The SSB initiated the operation based on confidential information and deployed soldiers from the Makarapada C Company to conduct a special checkpoint check on Asian Highway-48 near Birpara Chowpathi. During the inspection, six containers were discovered loaded with cattle, each containing approximately 40 animals. As the drivers failed to produce any documentation for the transportation of the cattle, all six containers were seized, leading to the arrest of 20 individuals involved in the smuggling operation.

According to sources within the battalion, preliminary interrogation of the arrested individuals revealed that the cattle were loaded onto a truck in the Panjipada area. The intended destination for the smuggled cattle was Shrirampur in Assam. The SSB has handed over the accused to the Birpara police station for further legal action. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges associated with illegal cattle smuggling in the region and the efforts of security forces to curb such activities along strategic highways.