(FULL DETAIL REPORT WILL PUBLISH SOON WITH CASE STUDIES, INCIDENTS AND

MORE EXCLUSIVE DATAS, IT’S JUST A SMALL REPORT OF THE SAID DEATIL REPORT)

CATTLE CHAOS IN INDIA-BANGLADESH INTERNATIONAL BORDER

FAMOUS CATTLE CORRIDORS
SHIB SHANKAR CHATTERJEE
From India Bangladesh International Border : Recently, International Border Security Force,
Border Security Force of India (BSFI) were seized more than hundreds of hundreds head of cattle from
various different locations near the India-Bangladesh international border that touches the Indian
States, specially – Assam, Meghalaya Tripura and West Bengal that famous as “Cattle Corrrdor”. The
local administrations of the aforesaid states also disclosed that based on a tip off, laid a trap when
Bangladeshi smugglers along with their Indian associates were trying to smuggle cattle into Bangladesh.
Not only had that The BSF troops cordoned off the suspected area at night. The smugglers, who were
taking a huge herd of cattle to Bangladesh through the unfenced area, were challenged by the troops. The
jawans lobbed stun grenades, which resulted in the seizure of hundreds of head of cattle.
Local people claimed, “Cattle markets known as – cattle-haats along the aforesaid international
boundary are becoming a source of cattle for smuggling. Though, the BSFI has increased its vigil along
the said international border in view of the increased attempts by smugglers but in vain. Sometimes,
even, the cattle traders allegedly collected an amount of Rs 800 to Rs. 01,000 each from the mediators,
who help the illegal immigrant to sneak into Indian territory, illegally”. Recently, in a massive drive along
the Indo-Bangla international borders of the Indian State Assam’s Dhubri district sector, the BSFI seized
as many as 110-numbers of cattle heads that were being smuggled to the neighbouring country. BSFI
sources added that the drive was conducted by the 71, 67, 57 and 174-numbers of Battalion (BN) of the
said security force, on the night of 01st June and 2nd June, 2017 on various aforesaid international
bordering cattle-corridor areas of the aforesaid district. According to information, the BSFI had made the
seizure mostly along the island areas of the said international riverine borders of the said district and the
cattle heads were about to be sent to Bangladesh. It may be mentioned here that this was the one of the
biggest seizures of cattle by any security agency. It was supposed that the demonetisation had curbed
cattle smuggling in the district but this seizure again proved that the illegal trade has started again in full
swing. However, BSFI sources added that recent cattle smuggling is being carried out with the
distribution of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).
However, a BSFI jawan was attacked by cattle smugglers in the South West Garo Hills area of
another Eastern Indian State, Meghalaya, when he tried to stop them from crossing over to Bangladesh.
Krishna Murthy, a jawan on duty with the 26-BN of the BSFI, was on his usual round, when he saw a
group of about 05-numbers to 08-numbers cattle smugglers, whom he tried to stop. The gang, when
confronted by the jawan, attacked him with machetes, which resulted in Murthy getting a deep cut at the
back of his neck. The cattle smuggling incidents are expected to rise all across the aforesaid international
border due to upcoming ID festival.
The famous cattle corridors of the Indian States are – a) West Bengal State – Coochbehar,
Jalpaiguri, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and South-24-Parganas districts, in Assam State – Dhubri,
Karimganj and Cachar districts, in Meghalaya State – South West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and Esat
Khashi Hills districts and in Tripura State – South Tripura and West Tripura districts, respectively.

1
 AT A GLANCE
CATTLE SMUGGLING IN INDIA BANGLADESH INTERNATIONAL BORDER

Apprehension Apprehension Bangladeshi Indian

Cattle Value of of of Nationals Nationals
Serial Year Seized Seized Cattle Bangladeshi Indian Killed Killed
Number (In Numbers) (In Rupees) Nationals Nationals During During
During Cattle During Cattle Cattle Cattle
Smuggling Smuggling Smuggling Smuggling
(In Numbers) (In Numbers) (In Numbers) (In Numbers)
01. 2007 1331173 687194249 --- --- --- ---
02. 2008 120547 540469682 --- --- --- ---
03. 2009 114790 830952883 --- --- --- ---
04. 2010 101381 649579526 --- --- 04 04
05. 2011 135291 569180127 01 01 01 02
06. 2012 120724 516072720 152 130 03 05
07. 2013 122000 520854992 223 197 04 06
08. 2014 109999 489682748 171 215 04 02
09. 2015 153602 1139189650 186 419 11 06
10. 2016 174469 209 461 07 02
11. 2017 111615 51 130 00 03
12. 2018 16847
(Up to
31st
March)
S0urce : Border Security Force Of India (BSFI).
Note : The aforesaid datas have collected/included/compiled of the Eastern Indian States –
Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Mizoram, which share or touch the international
border with Bangladesh).