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Shillong, July 7: A total of 72 cattle worth more than Rs. 12.5 lakh were seized by the BSF from areas along the Indo-Bangladesh border in East Khasi Hills and West Jaiñtia Hills districts of Meghalaya.

A statement said that on the intervening night of July 6 and 7, the BSF troops deployed at at Hat Thymmai (Nayabazar), East Khasi Hills, seized 36 cattle.

Similarly, BSF troops deployed at Muktapur in West Jaiñtia Hills district, and Umsyiem in East Khasi Hills district altogether seized 36 more cattle while being smuggled from India to Bangladesh taking the total to 72.

“These cattle include 49 numbers of Haryana breed being smuggled from India to Bangladesh. The smugglers were trying to smuggle cattle from the unfenced area but the alert BSF jawan always foiled their attempts,” the BSF said in the statement.

In the last seven days, the BSF said that 215 cattle, and contraband items worth more than Rs. 54.4 lakh were seized including seizure of one gold biscuit, while being smuggled out from India to Bangladesh from areas of Tuka, Hat Thymmai, Lyngkhat, Umsyiem, Ryngku in East Khasi Hills and Muktapur in West Jaintia Hills.

All the seized items were handed over to the concerned department for further legal action.