HT Correspondent

Dibrugarh, July 7: Dibrugarh police on Wednesday arrested three notorious cattle smugglers and seized 95 cattle heads from them at Brahmaputra bank in Dibrugarh.

The smugglers have been identified as Mohammad Akhtar Raja Khan alias Tiklu Khan, Mohammad Anuwarul Haque and Mohammad Anish Rahman.

Police arrested all the three accused against Dibrugarh PS case no. 1339/21 under section 468/471/429/153(a)/379/411 IPC read with section 8 of Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950, amended in 1962.

Dibrugarh superintendent of police Shwetank Mishra said, “After getting specific information, we have formed a team and raided in a location near Brahmaputra river bank and seized 70 cattle heads and arrested two persons Tiklu Khan and Mohammad Anuwarul Haque. In another raid, 25 cattle were seized and arrested Anish Rahman of Panchali.”

“The cattle were brought from Silapathar area through river route. We are interrogating them and as per law we will take action against them,” Mishra said.

Mishra said they will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate on Thursday.

Sources said the cattlewere brought for sacrifice during Eid.

“Tiklu Khan is a notorious cattle smuggler in upper Assam and he smuggled most of the cattles through river route and sell them in high price. Tiklu Khan runs the cattle syndicate in upper Assam by managing police, journalists etc. He is mastermind to creating forged documents,” said a source.

It might be noted that Tiklu Khan has been running the cattle syndicate in upper Assam from several years by managing everyone.

“Many a times police seized cattle laden trucks in Dibrugarh during checking but after sometimes the trucks will be released after getting documents. When any illegal cattle laden trucks seized in Dibrugarh, Tiklu Khan made forged documents to prove the authentication of the cattles purchased. Cattle smuggling is an organised crime which is running under the patronage of politicians,” said a source.