Kolkata:

A seventeen-year-old Hindu girl from Bangladesh ran through the night and crossed over to the Indian side where she was detained by border security officials and handed over to the West Bengal police. The reason she had to run away was because she was an ISKCON devotee.

She said her family has been facing threats for being from the minority community for the past several weeks, but the situation got out of hand when fundamentalists in Bangladesh threatened to kidnap her and kill the rest of her family. That is when she decided to run away from her country.

With no certainty of how long it might take her legally to flee to India, she decided to run to the border and cross it by foot. That is exactly what she did, but was caught by the Border Security Force or BSF and sent to police custody, where she narrated her escape.

According to the police, the teenage girl crossed over illegally from the border in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district. She claimed to have some relatives living in India and was apparently heading for their residence.

Though she has given her statement narrating her ordeal, the police want to be certain and not just take things on face value. They are now investigating the matter and also want to find out if she was accompanied or helped by someone in finding a way to cross the border.

“The girl has some relatives in Jalpaiguri district. We have gotten in touch with them,” the investigating officer said, adding that “We are trying to find out who helped her in crossing the border.”

“The girl is a resident of Panchagarh district in Bangladesh. She crossed the border on foot but was spotted by the BSF soldiers near the Fatehpur Border outpost in Uttar Dinajpur’s Chopra block,” the police officer said.

Speaking to news agency Press Trust of India, one of the Indian relatives of the teenage girl said “She and her family are devotees of ISKCON. Fundamentalists threatened to kidnap her and murder the rest of the family. They were planning to send her here (for her safety). She was planning to come to India, but we had no confirmation about the date.”

The relative also said that the girl’s father is a medical representative in Bangladesh and has been unwell for quite some time now.

Incidents of communal violence are on the rise across Bangladesh and people from the Hindu minority are being targeted with little-to-no action being taken by the administration. ISKCON devotees are the latest target since the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka on November 25. There have been incidents of mob violence and vandalism of property targeting the minority community. Temples have been defaced too.

Protesters from the minority community have even faced police crackdowns and lathi-charges. They were protesting the arrest of the Hindu priest, who is still in custody and is undergoing trial in a Bangladesh court.

Coming to the aid of the teenage girl who fled to India, ISKCON Kolkata Vice-President Radaramn Das has requested Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene in the matter.

“It is heartbreaking and deeply distressing to learn about a minor girl from Bangladesh who, in sheer desperation, tried to cross into India alone, only to be arrested by the BSF and thrown into juvenile custody,” Mr Das said in a post on X.

It is heartbreaking and deeply distressing to learn about a minor girl from Bangladesh who, in sheer desperation, tried to cross into India alone, only to be arrested by the BSF and thrown into juvenile custody.

Her parents, both gravely ill, urged her to cross over to India… pic.twitter.com/3ZKnoA7yub

— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) December 11, 2024

“Her parents, both gravely ill, urged her to cross over to India because of the conditions in Bangladesh and their fear for her safety. They had no choice but to entrust their daughter’s life to the hope of finding refuge with their relatives in India,” he added.

“How can we, as a nation, ignore such a plea for help? How can we turn away a vulnerable child seeking safety and love? I humbly and urgently request @HMOIndia to intervene with compassion and humanity, and allow this innocent girl to live with her relatives,” Mr Das wrote.

(Inputs from PTI)
 

Jodhpur:

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) is stepping up its use of advanced surveillance and counter-drone measures to tackle increasing drone activity along the eastern border with Bangladesh.

In an interview with NDTV, BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary spoke about the force’s readiness to counter threats posed by modern surveillance technologies deployed by neighbouring countries. “We are taking adequate countermeasures to ensure that the ways being used by our neighbours get nullified,” Mr Chaudhary told NDTV.

The Director General highlighted the growing global reliance on drone technology for surveillance and expressed India’s commitment to strengthening its border security infrastructure. “We are continuously upgrading our surveillance techniques to meet emerging challenges,” Mr Chaudhary noted.

Intelligence reports have flagged a resurgence of extremist and radical elements along the eastern border. These groups are attempting to infiltrate India, posing a big security risk. Intelligence inputs also suggest that terror groups and cartels are using smuggling networks to push radicals to cross over to India.

The BSF chief assured that India’s security grid is robust and capable of thwarting such attempts.

“As far as inputs regarding extremist elements trying to sneak into India are concerned, we have a grid where in our G-Branch and sister agencies work together to ensure that this does not happen,” he said.

The recent seizure of a drone along the India-Bangladesh border has heightened the sense of urgency among security agencies. Following the incident, counter-drone mechanisms were further bolstered to address the evolving threat.

India shares a 4,096.70 km border with Bangladesh, of which approximately 800 km remains unfenced, creating potential vulnerabilities. “We have taken adequate technical measures to ensure that our neighbours do not exploit this 800 km gap,” the DG said. 
 

Agartala:

The Border Security Force (BSF) 81 Battalion, stationed in Sonamura under Sepahijala District seized two kilograms and 177 grams of gold, valued at approximately Rs 1.74 crore from NC Nagar, said officials on Thursday.

Based on the inputs received, BSF launched an operation which concluded till 9 pm on Thursday, said officials.

2-3 Bangladeshi smugglers crossed the border and discarded some items toward the border. However the smugglers managed to flee due to heavy fog, said officials.

Assistant Commandant, BSF 81 Battalion, Somil Vohra stated, “Last evening, around 6 PM, we received an input stating that there was a possibility of gold smuggling through the NC Nagar border. To intercept this, we quickly set up an ambush with my team. Our operation lasted from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. At 8:45, 2-3 Bangladeshi smugglers crossed the border and entered our side, discarding some items toward the border. We waited for a person from our side to retrieve the items, and as soon as he did, our ACP issued a challenge call. We immediately rushed toward the area, but due to heavy fog, the smugglers managed to flee…”

Second in Command, BSF 81 Battalion, Rajesh Kumar Langeh said, “Our battalion is stationed in Sonamura. Last night, our company deployed in NC Nagar achieved a significant breakthrough. We have successfully seized 2 kilograms and 177 grams of gold, valued at Rs 1.74 crore in the market. As you are aware, the BSF always remains on high alert. Considering the prevailing conditions in Bangladesh, our security measures are at the highest level. During a search operation last night, our personnel seized the gold…”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Tarn Taran, Punjab:

The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 13 kilograms of suspected heroin in the Tarn Taran Border district of Punjab on Thursday, officials said.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Punjab Frontier BSF, the recovery was made following reliable information about narcotics concealed in a hume pipe in the border area. BSF troops swiftly responded and conducted a thorough search of the suspected location.

“At about 12:40 pm the troops recovered 06 plastic bottles filled with suspected heroin (Gross weight- 13.160 Kg). This recovery, based on an intelligence developed by the BSF intelligence wing, took place in a farming field adjacent to village- Kalash of district Tarn Taran,” the PRO said.

BSF Punjab troops conducted a massive search operation following an intelligence input regarding the presence of heroin in Kalash village, Tarn Taran.

The operation led to the recovery of… pic.twitter.com/H3iaZ5vfDk

— BSF PUNJAB FRONTIER (@BSF_Punjab) October 10, 2024

The accurate information provided by BSF intelligence wing and swift action of BSF troops resulted in this significant recovery of the huge heroin consignment smuggled in the country from across the border, it added.

BSF Punjab troops conducted a massive search operation following an intelligence input regarding the presence of heroin in Kalash village, Tarn Taran.

In a post on X, BSF Punjab Frontier said, “This recovery has dealt a significant blow to trans-border criminals attempting to smuggle heroin into India from the Pakistan border.”

On the same day, BSF troops, in collaboration with Tarn Taran police, conducted a search operation and recovered an improvised and assembled Pakistani drone.

“During the afternoon hours, the search party recovered an improvised and assembled Pakistani drone from Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district,” the BSF wrote on X.

The BSF said, “This recovery is significant as it highlights the innovative methods used by Pakistani smugglers. Countering the use of such assembled drones is a crucial step in curbing smuggling activities.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Siliguri:

The Border Security Force (BSF) with the help of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) foiled an infiltration attempt along India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Friday, an official said.

According to a spokesperson of the border guarding force, BSF troopers “successfully addressed a significant and different kind of challenge at the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar with around 1,000 Bangladeshi nationals, approaching the international border, seeking refuge in India”.

The spokesperson said that upon encountering these people, the BSF promptly approached BGB to take these Bangladeshi nationals back, ensuring that the situation was managed without escalating further tensions.

The quick and decisive actions of the BSF, in coordination with Cooch Behar district’s civil administration, were crucial in maintaining order and resolving the issue.

The official said that this operation underscores the BSF’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding India’s borders while also recognising the importance of addressing humanitarian concerns with compassion and strict adherence to international standards.

The PRO said that this emerging challenge is new to the BSF, which is primarily entrusted with the security of India’s borders along both Bangladesh and Pakistan.

“Faced with the delicate task of managing humanitarian concerns while ensuring border security, the BSF demonstrated exceptional professionalism, with its officers and men swiftly responding to the situation,” he pointed out.

Security has been tightened along India-Bangladesh border following the recent developments in the neighbouring nation, including unrest and violent protests leading to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from her prime ministerial position.

Various central and state security agencies, including the BSF, Coast Guard and coastal police, have increased the intensity of patrolling at the marine borders with Bangladesh in the Sunderbans area as well, scattered over West Bengal’s North 24 Paragans and South 24 Parganas districts, as these are the most vulnerable points for illegal immigration in wake of the ongoing crisis in the neighbouring country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ferozepur, Punjab:

 BSF troops Wednesday arrested a Pakistani national, a teenage boy, near the International Border (IB) here, officials said.

According to the BSF, the troops observed the movement of a person in the morning hours near the border fence. The boy tried to escape, after which the BSF troops chased and apprehended him. He is being questioned by the BSF and other agencies to know about his motive of crossing the IB, officials said.

Sources said the boy was aged around 15.

The BSF troops had shot dead another Pakistani intruder near border outpost Sadqi in Abohar sector, officials had said on Tuesday.

On observing suspicious movement during the intervening night on July 1-2, the BSF guard on duty warned the intruder. However, the intruder continued to move forward towards the border fence, after which the troops fired three rounds, they had said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)