Despite the stringent laws, cattle smuggling has been thriving in the state.
In a massive crackdown on cattle smuggling, Assam Police on Thursday recovered a total of 113 animals from three separate trucks in the state.
The police seized 35 live animals from a truck in Jorabat. The driver and another passenger, both from Nagaon district, were arrested. Similarly, another truck carrying 42 cattle was intercepted at Sonapur, and two people, including the driver, were arrested. A third truck carrying 36 cattle was intercepted in Nagaon district, and two people were arrested. All three trucks were headed to Meghalaya.
"Most of the cattle trucks that were seized were going towards Meghalaya. We have arrested the drivers and started interrogation," said a police official.
"It's a big racket and due to the alertness of our police team, we successfully apprehended the trucks that were illegally transporting cattle to Meghalaya," he added.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, empowers 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.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, bans the slaughter and sale of beef in areas where Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs are in the majority, or within a five-kilometre radius of a temple, satra (Vaishnavite monastery), or other institutions as may be prescribed by the authorities.
However, despite the stringent laws, cattle smuggling has been thriving in the state.
On Monday, 40 animals were rescued from a tanker truck near Sonapur in Guwahati leading to the arrest of two people. According to sources, the cattle were being smuggled from Dhemaji in Assam to Meghalaya.
"Most of the smuggled cattle that were seized were coming from Dhemaji side. The cattle smugglers lift the stray cattle from Dhemaji and Silapathar areas and transport them to Meghalaya and Bangladesh for consumption," a source said.