BSF maps vulnerable spots along border with Pak, Bangladesh

BSF maps vulnerable spots along border with Pak, Bangladesh

Source: VSK-ANDHRA PRADESH Date: 9/6/2012 12:01:59 PM

NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) identified spots along India's boundary with Pakistan and Bangladesh vulnerable to crime, illegal migration and border firing. The highest number of such spots is in West Bengal on the eastern side and Jammu and Punjab on the western border.
Along the 2,308 km border with Pakistan, there are 51 vulnerable BOPs — 28 in Jammu and 23 in Punjab.
Jammu's BOPs are vulnerable to firing from Pakistan, said a senior BSF officer. Between July 27, when a 450m tunnel was detected in J& K's Samba district, and August 21, there were 10 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the international border.
Smuggling of narcotics and weapons were detected through Punjab's vulnerable BOPs.
The BSF plans to build 286 more border outposts — 198 along India's border with Bangladesh and 88 with Pakistan.
Along the 4,096.70 km India-Bangladesh border, the BSF marked 112 of its 987 border outposts (BOPs) spread across five states as vulnerable. Of them, more than half — 67 — are along Bengal's 2,200 km border with Bangladesh. They are hotbed of infiltration, human trafficking, cattle smuggling and circulation of fake Indian currency notes. Two months ago, BSF seized smuggled gold worth about 60 lakh near Petrapole in Bengal, said a source.
Between January-July 31, BSF arrested 591 infiltrators on the India-Bangladesh border. Of them, 397 were arrested in Bengal, 113 in Tripura and 22 in Assam.
The BSF identified 11 vulnerable BOPs in Assam, 13 in Meghalaya, one in Mizoram and two in Tripura.
The major problem in Assam's 11 vulnerable BOPs is circulation of fake Indian notes and cattle smuggling, especially in Dhubri, said a BSF officer.
"After the vulnerability mapping, we have mobilized extra resources, including more weapons, ammunition and vehicles, to these BOPs," said a BSF officer. These spots would be under surveillance for 24 hours.
Home ministry sources said fencing and joint patrolling by BSF and Border Guards Bangladesh could help in curbing infiltration and border crimes. "But, Bangladesh is not forthcoming on joint patrolling," said an officer.
India has shared a list of touts, smugglers, criminals and vulnerable BOPs with Bangladesh. "But, they do not share intelligence with us," said an officer.

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