Night curfew along Assam-Bangla border

With cattle smuggling from India to Bangladesh through the porous international boundary becoming a major headache for the Assam government,the state has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the Dhubri sector. Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain told the state Assembly on Tuesday that the curfew has been imposed from 6 pm to 6 am. Hussain was replying for Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi,who also holds the Home portfolio.

Hussain said raids are being carried out by the police accompanied by magistrates,veterinarians and transport officials to nab smugglers. Vehicles coming in to Assam from other states are being thoroughly inspected, Hussain informed Gunindra Nath Das of the AGP. District authorities have been asked to issue registration numbers to boats plying on the Brahmaputra that is a portion of the international boundary,he added.

Recent reports of the Border Security Force said cattle worth about Rs 50 crore have been stopped from being smuggled out in the past two years.