Kolkata, Jan 12 (IANS): The Border Security Force (BSF) claims to have thwarted a major infiltration attempt by Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in the districts of North 24-Parganas and Nadia in West Bengal on Saturday.
Troops of the BSF, South Bengal Frontier, claim that they drove back 20 Bangladeshis and two Rohingyas after they entered through an unfenced portion of the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in North 24-Parganas. Four Bangladeshis were allegedly driven back from Nadia.
"When they were questioned, the Bangladeshis and Rohingyas claimed that they were on their way to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to work as labourers and housekeeping staff. Our troops were successful in driving them back across the IBB. Such attempts are taking place despite flag meetings with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on the issue. Attempts to smuggle drugs and cattle were also thwarted along the IBB by the BSF during the day," said N K Pandey, DIG and spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier.
On Saturday, BSF troops also seized three kilograms of Ganja, 2,900 strips of Quinine Sulphate tablets, 700 ampoules of Quinine Dihydrochloride and 1,200 ampoules of Artemether. In addition to this, 11 cattle heads were freed from the clutches of smugglers, the DIG said.
"On Saturday, information was received of possible attempt to smuggle drugs across a riverine section of the border. All boat nakas were on alert. Late in the evening, jawans of C S Khali Border Outpost spotted a man moving across the embankment of the river on the Indian side. A jawan moved forward and challenged him. The man fled, taking advantage of the dense foliage and fog. A boat naka had also arrived by then. A search led to the seizure of two packets of narcotics that the smuggler had dropped," Pandey said.
According to him, troops of the 119 Battalion BSF posted at the Mahadipur, Gopalnagar, Sabdalpur and Nawada BOPs in the Malda district seized 565 bottles of Phensedyl from their respective areas of responsibility. Troops of the 88 Battalion BSF rescued eight cattle heads in the jurisdiction of the Pannapur BOP, while personnel of the 115 Battalion prevented three cattle heads from being smuggled across the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB).
The seized items have been handed over to concerned agencies for processing while the bovines have been sent to the Dhyan Foundation Gaushala after e-tagging, he said, adding that the BSF is taking strict measures to stop smuggling along the IBB and is alert to foil any infiltration attempt.