Indian border guards at a loss on what to do with seized camel

Statesman News Service

MALDA,( India) Feb. 9. — The guards stationed at the Indo-Bangla border are facing a lot of inconveniences in keeping the cattle they had seized few days back from the border, owing to the delay in its auction monitored by the customs department, sources said. Though it is a common incident of seizing the grazing cattle from the border area, this time, the BSF forces are reportedly facing difficulties in managing over 60 camels seized some time back. Just nine days after the BSF officials seized the camels, the customs department reportedly had auctioned them, but one camel out of the 60 allegedly died owing to the lack of food. The value of the camel is estimated to be Rs 10 lakh. “Within nine days, the herd of cattle has eaten up all the green plants at the Patiram BSF’s main office in South Dinajpur and the campus has now dried up, resulting in the death of one camel”, a BSF officer explained. The BSF officials have expressed resentment about the delay in the auction by the customs department. It was alleged that local touts prevented them from conducting the auction. Sources however revealed that the local touts tried to force the customs department to conduct auction in their area, so that they can buy it at low price. As per reports, where the actual price of each camel is Rs 6,000, in this region, the rate is Rs 30,000, whereas, in Bangladesh, smugglers earn as much as Rs 1.5 lakh on every camel sold. “Cattle export to Bangladesh should be legalised in order to earn more revenue”, said a central government officer. #