As rivers swell, cow smugglers get active along Indo-Bangla border
LOOPHOLE Vigilance takes a hit due to inclement weather; smuggling of narcotics increase
BERHAMPORE : Even as people in as many as 12 districts of West Bengal are bearing the brunt of floods, cattle smugglers in Malda and Murshidabad districts are taking full advantage of the deluge. They are smuggling more cows into Bangladesh through the porous international border.
The two districts share more than 300 km of the international border, of which around 100 km is covered by rivers that are overflowing at present . The biggest among these rivers are the Ganga and Padma.
Because of heavy rainfall and release of water from different dams in the western districts, the level of water in the two rivers has risen alarmingly. Since vigilance has been affected by inclement weather, smuggling of cattle, narcotics and essential items that are in demand in Bangladesh have increased, said district police officials.
A senior officer of the Border Security Force said during rainy season the grass along the banks of rivers grows quickly.
Smugglers hide their goods behind the thick grass during the day and smuggle them into Bangladesh at night. The grass gets so tall that even cattle can be hidden in the bushes, said the officer.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a man involved in cattle trade in Murshidabad said cows and buffaloes are good swimmers and the smugglers swim-cross the rivers with their help even though the current is strong during the monsoon.
A district police officer said cattle is being smuggled into Bangladesh from Suti, Raghunathganj, Jalangi and Raninagar areas of Murshidabad.
DIG (BSF) RPS Jaiswal said, “We know that smugglers take advantage of the weather and rise in water level in rivers. Additional boats and personnel have been deployed in some areas to thwart smuggling.”
A MAN INVOLVED IN THE CATTLE TRADE SAID COWS AND BUFFALOES ARE GOOD SWIMMERS AND THE SMUGGLERS CROSS THE RIVERS WITH THEIR HELP