Bangladesh crisis: Patrolling intensified at marine borders in Bengal's Sunderbans

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) Various central and state security agencies, including the Border Security Force (BSF), Coast Guard and coastal police, have increased the intensity of patrolling at the marine borders with Bangladesh in the Sunderbans area 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.

A senior official from the state police said that besides patrolling by the BSF and members of state police, seasoned officers and staff of the state Forest Department, who are long acquainted with the spider net of narrow creeks in the region are also being involved in the process.

As per the latest information available, joint teams of members of the coastal police force and Forest Department staff are mainly guarding the connecting points of the innumerable creeks with the main river, using high-end motorised boats for the purpose.

On the other hand, the BSF, using motorised boats, speed boats, and other vessels, have intensified the patrolling on the marine borders scattered in the Sunderbans areas and private vessels coming to their notice are intercepted, searched and the citizenship credentials of the passengers are being checked.

In addition, a hovercraft of the Coast Guard has also been deployed in the Sunderbans area for round-the-clock monitoring of the situation.

All these different forces have also been equipped with high-end and sophisticated night-vision cameras and binoculars considering that the chances of illegal immigration are higher during the night hours.

Sources from the state police said that movement restrictions have also been imposed on those residing at the island villages near the marine borders. Besides restrictions on fishing at certain points in the area, the residents of these island villages have been asked not to climb on the river embankments in the area.

The residents of these island villages have also been advised to avoid staying outside their homes beyond a certain point after sunset as far as possible, as per the sources.

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