Malda: In a bid to curb the growing menace of extortion, river piracy and cross-border infiltration, the Malda District Police is planning to launch river patrols on the Ganga using speedboats. The initiative comes amid rising incidents of armed gangs—allegedly from Jharkhand—terrorising fishermen in the midstream of the river near Manikchak, Bhutni Char and Mothabari’s Panchanandapur areas.
According to district police sources, plans are underway to intensify vigil at key ferry points and river ghats with naka check-posts and CCTV surveillance. However, a senior police officer admitted that infrastructure for such riverine patrols remains limited. “The district police have no speed boats or trained personnel for midstream surveillance. We are coordinating with the disaster management department and the district administration to address these gaps,” the officer said.
Malda Superintendent of Police Pradeep Kumar Yadav confirmed that police surveillance on the Ganga ghats has already been strengthened.
“Police are conducting naka checks at every ghat and CCTV monitoring is active. Several miscreants have been arrested through these operations. We are now exploring ways to prevent extortion and criminal activity on the river itself,” said Yadav.
Recent reports suggest that a group identifying itself as the ‘Rangdar Bahini’—allegedly operating from Jharkhand’s Rajmahal area—has resumed extortion from Bengali fishermen in midstream Ganga. Armed with guns and sharp weapons, they demand “rangdari tax” ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 from each fishing boat. Refusal to pay has led to violent assaults.
Bishnu Mahato, a fisherman from Bhutni Char, was brutally assaulted with a rifle butt last Monday after he refused to pay. His fishing nets, mobile phone, and equipment were looted. Similar attacks have been reported from Manikchak’s Narayanpur Char, where several fishermen were injured and their boats looted.
With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, police fear that criminals from across the border could infiltrate via river routes to instigate unrest or smuggle firearms. In response, stringent checks have been introduced at ferry ghats, including metal detectors, ID verification and watchtowers.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Pradeep Kumar Yadav inaugurated a new naka checkpoint at Kumidpur on the Bengal-Bihar border to strengthen border security. Additional checkpoints at Kharba and Gajolipur and a modern gym at Chanchal Police Station were also inaugurated to boost police readiness.