SHILLONG, FEB 18: The Khasi-Jaintia Butcher’s Welfare Association (KJBWA) on Thursday alleged that the cattle smugglers are adopting new tactic by claiming that they are butchers because of strict vigilant by the police.
According to the association, the cattle smugglers had even gone to the extent of allegedly getting the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to issue challan for transportation of cattle meant for smuggling out to Bangladesh.
The new strategy of the smugglers was unearthed after members of the association had gone to Pontung village after being informed by the Pynursla police station about the seizure of as many as 40 cattle yesterday.
KJBWA vice president Generous Warlarpih informed that on reaching the village today, the association was asked to meet a group of people who claimed that the cattle seized by the police belongs to them and that they are also butchers.
“They have also produced challan issued by the KHADC to one B Marbaniang for transportation of the cattle from Khanapara market too Pynursla,” he said.
Interestingly, when the association called for their members from Pynursla to verify whether Marbaniang is really a butcher, Warlarpih said, “The members expressed surprise because he was never a butcher all this while.”
He also alleged, “This is a new tactic adopted by the alleged cattle smugglers since the police have maintained strict vigilant on the transportation of cattle to ensure that the problem of smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh is nip on its bud.”
A member of the KJWBA Pynursla unit, Dilip Nongsteng said, “We totally refuse to accept that he (Marbaniang) is a butcher.”
The association vice president further questioned the challan issued by the KHADC as according to him, usually such challan is issued by the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.
“We are surprise as to why the KHADC has to issue challan only to a single person and what is the reason for not informing us as an association that the council is also an appropriate authority to issue such challans,” he said.
When asked, he said the association would soon meet the district council to seek clarification on the sudden issuing of challan by its office.
“We will have to find out whether this is also another tactic to facilitate smuggling out of cattle from the Khanapara market,” he said.
Earlier, the East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkrang informed that the department has recently requested the deputy commissioner to take up with the KHADC and Hima Mylliem for the purpose of implementing the transit pass for transportation of cattle from the Khanapara market.
However, the association said that the stakeholders should also be taken into consideration before deciding to implement such transit pass.-By Our Reporter
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