Assam: Cattle mafia snatches animals in Tamarhat, Dhubri, demands ransom of Rs 1 lakh

Assam: In a brazen incident of organized crime along the Assam-West Bengal border, an alleged cattle mafia gang hijacked cattle from a local owner in the Tamarhat area of ​​Dhubri and demanded a ransom of ₹1 lakh for their release. The crime has raised concerns along the border, with police arresting one of the accused, while the alleged kingpin remains at large.

The incident occurred near Kukiladanga village, a sensitive area along the inter-state border. According to police, Monabbar Hussain of Muslim Para village had purchased a high-yielding cow from Barovisha, West Bengal, on January 12th. His two nephews were transporting the cattle – four lactating cows and four calves – back to their village when they were stopped.

According to the FIR, a gang of eight to ten people, allegedly led by history-sheeters Ashraful Mandal alias Ashraf and Aminur Rahman, ambushed the vehicle as if committing a professional robbery. The gang forcibly seized the animals and took them to a house in Kukiladanga village, whose owner is said to be Manwar Hussain.

The matter escalated when the gang allegedly contacted the animal owner and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not pay a ransom of ₹1 lakh for the release of the animals. Hussain stated in his complaint that he was threatened with death if the demand was not met.

Following a complaint lodged at the Tamarhat police station, police launched an operation and arrested Aminur Rahman, one of the main accused named in the FIR. He is currently being interrogated to determine the location of the animals and identify other gang members. The main accused, Ashraful Mandal, along with several of his associates, fled to West Bengal soon after their arrest.

Police sources said that Ashraf Mandal is a well-known figure in the animal smuggling network operating along the Assam-Bengal border and has been arrested by the Gosaigaon police in similar cases. He has previously been jailed for animal smuggling-related crimes.

Locals alleged that the gang is taking advantage of the open border to enter West Bengal and carry out criminal activities and evade police. This incident once again highlights the vulnerability of cattle owners in the border areas of lower Assam, where organized smuggling and extortion rackets remain a serious threat.