The BSF in north Bengal recovered over 75 buffaloes, including some carcasses, from two trucks — heading towards Jalpaiguri — on the outskirts of Siliguri on Sunday. Two persons, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested in this connection.

Sources said a team of the 15th battalion of the force intercepted the trucks on NH27 near Mahananda Barrage at Fulbari. “They asked the drivers to produce legal documents to validate transport of the cattle. The drivers failed to produce any document and instead, fled the spot,” said a source.

“As the force searched the vehicle — which bore registration plates of Assam — they found 78 buffaloes, including 15 dead buffaloes. Two persons who were in the trucks to take care of the cattle have been arrested. Also, two cell phones and some Indian currency has been recovered from them. The total cost of the seized items, including the vehicles, is around Rs 54.27 lakh,” the source added.

The arrested duo have been identified as Islam, a resident of Meerut, and Idris, who hails from Shamli district.

The seizure and arrests were made within a few hours after chief minister Mamata Banerjee had trained guns at the BSF.

On Sunday, Mamata, while speaking at a public meeting in Balurghat, had alleged that trucks carry cattle from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to Bengal and those were smuggled to Bangladesh in connivance with the BSF.

Later, the BSF handed over the vehicles, the cattle and the duo to New Jalpaiguri Police Station.