India has beefed up maritime security in view of violent unrest in Bangladesh, with Indian Coast Guard enhancing patrolling and surveillance along the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) to prevent any hostile act and illegal intrusion into this side of the border.
The move is to check illegal migrants from Bangladesh as Border Security Force (BSF) has also increased the deployment and vigil along the fence in five Indian States of Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
“After the political unrest in Bangladesh, Indian Coast Guard has enhanced its patrolling and surveillance along the international maritime boundary line... To prevent any hostile act and illegal intrusion, we have beefed up the security, positioned two to three ships,” said Indian Coast Guard’s Deputy Director General (Operations & Coastal Security) Anupam Rai.
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Round-the-clock monitoring
“Sunderban Creek areas are being patrolled by our air cushion vessels and interceptor boats. We have coastal surveillance radars at Haldia, Paradeep and Gopalpur. These radar stations are monitoring 24*7 the close coasts of India for any illegal activities... The radars along the Sunderban Creek areas too have been activated for round-the-clock monitoring,” Anupam Rai elaborated.
Central monitoring of all operations is taking place from the Integrated Operations Centre at the Delhi-based Coast Guard Headquarters.
“Till now, no illegal activity has been seen but we have very specifically told our ships to board all fishing boats or any vessels which are close to the Indo-Bangladesh International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) or in the creek areas,“ stated the Deputy Director General (Operations & Coastal Security).
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi smuggler was shot dead at the Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal’s Malda district after alert BSF jawans opened fire following an attack on them by a group of smugglers on the intervening night of August 11-12, the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) said on Monday.
The incident occurred along the Indo-Bangla border in Malda district, near the Chandni Chak border outpost.
BSF Jawan patrolling
“A BSF jawan patrolling the area observed five to six individuals moving goods on their heads from the Indian side toward Bangladesh. The jawan quickly moved in to intercept them and asked the smugglers to stop. Ignoring the challenge, another group of smugglers hiding behind the bushes attacked the jawan with sharp weapons. The jawans fired two rounds in self-defence,” the BSF statement said.
The BSF stated that after the firing, the miscreants used the darkness and wild bushes for cover and fled back toward the Indian border. One Bangladeshi smuggler was found injured and was taken to a government hospital, where he later died.
The deceased has been identified as Abdullah, a resident of Rishipara village in the Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh, the statement said.