17 cops injured facing 'cow smugglers' near Bangladesh border
At least 17 police officers were injured in a face-off with suspected cow smugglers on Sunday along the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar's Mekhliganj area in West Bengal. The police rescued 34 cows and arrested two men and four women. Just the day before, a Bangladeshi national was killed in a Border Security Force (BSF) confrontation with 30-40 suspected cow traffickers in Malda.
Why does this story matter?
Thousands of cattle are estimated to be smuggled from Bengal to Bangladesh every year. It is alleged that there is a scarcity of cows in Bangladesh and the demand increases during Eid. In 2019 and 2020, the BSF had seized 77,410 and 46,809 cattle, respectively. Amid the tussle between Indian authorities and cow smugglers, civilians from both countries are living near the border killed.
Cops acted on tip-off
A team of police had arrived in the Uchalpukuri area after receiving information about cows being smuggled across the border, an officer told The Indian Express. The police officer confirmed that the team was attacked by several villagers. Eight of the 17 police officers who were injured were taken to the Mekhliganj Sub Divisional Hospital. Six people were arrested for attacking the police.
Opposition blames TMC government in Bengal
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dilip Ghosh slammed the state administration for objecting to the BSF's jurisdiction being extended to 50 kilometers within international border areas. "Such incidents prove how unsafe our border areas are," he said. In response, Udayan Guha—Cooch Behar MLA from the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal—said, "If the BSF had done its job perfectly, such smugglers wouldn't have entered villages."
What happened in Malda?
At the Pannapur border outpost early on Saturday, a BSF patrol was ambushed by suspected cow smugglers. The BSF confirmed that 15-20 people tried to smuggle cows across the border, while another 15-20 people attacked them with batons. "...A BSF jawan was compelled to fire...due to which a Bangladeshi smuggler got injured near the fence." the BSF said. "The rest of the smugglers fled."
Cattle trade worth $500 millions: Study
In Bangladesh, the demand-supply ratio keeps the price of cattle high, as per a study conducted by global think tank ORF. A cattle head priced at Rs. 500-3,000 in India might sell for Rs. 20,000-40,000 in Bangladesh. Cattle trade along the border is approximately worth $500 million each year and takes place through the northern and southern borders of West Bengal.
