Shillong: A shadow network of cattle smugglers is reportedly operating with impunity on the landslide-prone Laitlyngkot-Lyngkyrdem road in East Khasi Hills. Despite a strict no-entry mandate issued by the Pynursla Civil Sub-Division to protect public safety, video evidence released by the Khasi Students Union shows heavy trucks transporting cattle through the restricted route under the cover of darkness.
The footage documents vehicles, including a truck with registration number ML05 G 7868 and a Super Carry bearing number ML05 U 7669, moving toward the international border. The local administration imposed these restrictions on May 25, prohibiting all traffic on specific days and during set hours to allow for construction work and to prevent accidents on the unstable terrain.
Local residents have criticized the situation, pointing to the disparity between the treatment of everyday commuters and illegal transport operations. One resident stated, “The administration cites safety and the risk of fatalities to stop the general public, yet the gates seem to open for smugglers.”
The Khasi Students Union has formally demanded a high-level investigation into how these vehicles bypassed multiple police checkpoints. The organization suggests that the presence of heavy, cattle-laden trucks on the compromised road indicates either a failure of enforcement or deliberate administrative complicity.
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