Kolkata, Feb 7 (IANS) The Border Security Force (BSF) said that it has successfully apprehended seven Bangladeshi nationals and three Indian touts in a meticulously planned and executed operation in West Bengal’s Nadia and Murshidabad districts.
The Bangladeshis, all illegal immigrants, were allegedly trying to flee through the international border due to the ongoing nationwide operations to identify and detain foreigners living in India without valid documents.
“This was a major success. Troops of the 146 Bn BSF acted on reliable information about movement across the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) which is already on alert due to the situation in the neighbouring country,” said N.K. Pandey, DIG and spokesperson, South Bengal Frontier, BSF.
According to him, the operation started around 5 a.m. on Thursday after a patrol party from the Jalangi Border Outpost spotted a group of 6-7 persons attempting to cross the IBB.
Despite a swift reaction, only two persons could be apprehended. The others took advantage of the dense fog and rushed back to Indian territory. A search operation was launched immediately, but there was no trace of the remaining members of the group. Only three bags were recovered during the search.
“During questioning, the two confessed that they were Bangladeshi nationals attempting to flee India with the help of a tout from the Madhubana village on the Indian side of the IBB. There were five other Bangladeshi nationals in the group, they said. While this was going on, the mobile phone of one of the Bangladeshis started to ring.
“He was asked to receive the call and speak in a normal way. The call was from the tout who was aiding them in crossing the IBB illegally. The Bangladeshi was told to tell the tout that they had managed to escape and were hiding near the customs office in Jalangi. The tout turned up at the specified location and was arrested by BSF personnel already present there. A motorcycle and a mobile phone were seized,” the DIG said.
During questioning, the tout revealed that the remaining Bangladeshis were hiding in a dense banana plantation near Gopalpur Ghat. BSF troops, dressed as civilians, reached the spot in an auto-rickshaw and an ambulance.
The tout was then made to call the five illegal immigrants and tell them to come out as there was no threat.
The Bangladeshis left their hiding places and were apprehended around 9 a.m.
“Further questioning followed, during which it came to light that there were two other Indian touts involved in such cross-border activity, charging Rs 7,000 per person. The tout who was arrested was made to call up the two others and say that all seven Bangladeshis were safe and waiting to cross the IBB.
“He also told them that they were ready to pay Rs 7,000 per person. The touts agreed to wait at Chichinia More. BSF troops reached the location, disguised as illegal immigrants, and rounded up the two. One of them attempted to attack a BSF personnel with a sharp-edged weapon, but was overpowered,” Pandey added.
Apart from the motorcycle, 16 mobile phones and Indian, Bangladeshi, Kenyan and Indonesian currencies were seized from the accused.
The DIG claimed that this successful operation had dealt a crushing blow on the network of infiltrators and touts operating along the IBB.
–IANS
jayanta/pgh
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