Effective Domination by BSF led to reduction of Cow smuggling cases

Pashu Sandesh, 28 August 2019

If government sources are to be believed, there is a drastic reduction in the number of cow smuggling cases along the Indo Bangladesh border. The Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying GOI, Dr Sanjeev Balyan provided this information in the recently concluded Lok Sabha session which also the passage of Historical bill for the abrogation of controversial Article 370. Dr Balyan informed that there is a steady decline in the number of cases booked and the cattle recovered in the last three years. In the year 2016 1,28,440 cattle were seized, the number has fallen down to 23,208 in 2019.

The most affected areas for cattle smuggling is North 24 Paraganas, Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia and Dakshin Dinajpur in West Bengal and Dhubri in Assam. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in pursuance to the direction given by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 12/07/2016, in WP (Civil) No 210 of 2015, constituted a Committee. This Committee recommended various actions to be taken by various State stakeholders viz State Government and Central Ministries. The recommendation of the Committee, on acceptance by Hon’ble Supreme Court, was sent to all concerned to take action accordingly on 23/11/2017. The Central Government is regularly monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee.

Further, the following steps are being taken by the Border Guarding Forces to prevent cattle smuggling along Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan Border:-

(i) Effective domination of the borders by carrying out round the clock, patrolling, laying of nakas, manning observation posts all along the International Border and strengthening of existing defences of the Border Out Posts (BOPs).

(ii) Vulnerability mapping of BOPs and area of responsibility is being regularly done and accordingly, sensitive BOPs are being strengthened by deploying additional manpower, special surveillance equipment and other force multipliers.

(iii) Erection of border fence on the International border.

(iv) Installation of Border Flood Lights along border security fence.

(v) Use of watercraft/boats and floating BOPs for domination of riverine area of the International border.

(vi) Simultaneous Co-ordinate Patrolling (SCP) is being conducted with Border Guard

Bangladesh along Indo-Bangladesh Border.

(vii) Conduct of special operations along the border and in-depth areas.

(viii) Strengthening of intelligence network and coordination with other agencies.

It is worth noting that on various occasions cattle smugglers have attacked BSF patrolling parties and a number of soldiers have lost their lives in the line of duty.