In a recent anti-smuggling operation, Assam police rescued 19 dogs intended for illegal sale in the Mangaldoi area, Darrang district. Acting on a tip-off, authorities initiated a raid, successfully tracing and freeing the dogs, who had been tightly packed in sacks and locked in a room. The rescue, which saved both stray and pet dogs, led to the arrest of four individuals identified as Milic Marak, Ina Changma, Star Marak, and Malu Changma, all Assam natives.
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Local sources report that the traffickers aimed to transport the dogs from Assam to Nagaland for the illicit meat trade. Despite a cultural history of dog meat consumption in Nagaland, a ban was briefly imposed on the dog meat trade in 2020, later overturned by a 2023 Gauhati High Court ruling.
Consequently, while dog meat is reportedly consumed in Nagaland, the practice remains unendorsed in other Indian states. Social media pages dedicated to animal welfare in Assam shared the incident, emphasizing the alarming rise of dog smuggling cases in the region.
