The Guwahati frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday recovered around 60 cattle ‘floating’ in a stream — that flows into Bangladesh from India — with banana trunks tied to their necks.

The cattle, BSF sources said, were supposed to be smuggled to Bangladesh.

“The troops posted at the Padma border outpost in Cooch Behar reached Giridhari, a stream which flows through Singhimari village of the district. They spotted the herd of cattle and rescued each cattle head from the stream,” said a source. The village is located under Sitai police station of the district.

Officials of the central security agency said smugglers use rivers during monsoons to send cattle to Bangladesh.

“They make a frame with bamboo and banana trunks and put it into the neck of a cow or buffalo. They then shove the animal into the river. Due to the contraption, the animal keeps floating in the river and is swept away by the river’s flow. As it is a riverine border, there is no fencing. Once the animal is sighted on the other side, smugglers based in Bangladesh catch the cattle and take those out of the river,” said an official.

Liquor seized

The sixth battalion of the BSF posted at Dhaprahat border outpost apprehended two
Indians for carrying 61 liquor bottles illegally in Cooch Behar on Saturday afternoon.

Sanjit Rishi and Rakesh Sharma, both from Cooch Behar district, were intercepted while riding a bike, BSF sources said.

The BSF said the duo had plans to smuggle the liquor bottles to Bangladesh. Later, they were handed over to the state excise department.