The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) posted at the India-Nepal border and the Darjeeling district police acted on a tip-off to foil a cattle smuggling bid early on Sunday and recovered 19 buffaloes.
Three persons, including a suspected smuggler, were arrested in this connection. Two SSB constables were injured in this operation.
SSB sources said that based on the tip-off, a team of the SSB spotted a truck headed towards Siliguri from Naxalbari near the toll plaza on Asian Highway II on the outskirts of Siliguri around 12.40am.
As the SSB personnel signalled the truck to stop near the toll plaza, it broke through the toll gate at great speed and rammed into the SSB vehicle, injuring two constables.
Eventually, with the help of the police at Naxalbari police station, the vehicle was traced and intercepted. As it was searched, 19 buffaloes were found inside.
“The driver and helper were apprehended, and they admitted that they were illegally transporting cattle without valid documents,” said a source.
Nujrul Islam, the driver, is from Gossaingaon in Assam, while Md Manojjam, the helper, is from Naxalbari. They said that Biman Ghosh, a suspected cattle smuggler, was with them in the truck but had absconded.
Subsequently, Ghosh, a resident of Dayaramjote of Naxalbari, was also arrested.
“He confessed that he was smuggling the cattle from Naxalbari to Assam,” the source added.
In due course, the trio, along with the cattle and the vehicle, were handed over to the Naxalbari police station.
The police have initiated a probe to trace other members of the cattle smuggling racket.
Cheating arrest
Sankhasubhra Sen, 23, son of sergeant Bapi Sen of Kolkata Police, who had died after being assaulted on New Year Eve in 2002, was arrested in Calcutta's Parnasree on Sunday by the officers of Delhi Police in connection with a case filed at the North East Cyber police station.
Police said Sankhasubhra was charged under sections of cheating. Produced before the Alipore court on Sunday, he was granted bail against bond of ₹2,000. He was also directed to be present before the Delhi court on January 16.
