Security beefed up in North Bengal ahead of Independence Day

BALURGHAT: Security has been beefed up in North Bengal, specially in the border areas for Independence Day. Incidentally, this region is highly-sensitive with four international borders in close proximity. Special vigil is being kept on border towns with surprise checks (naka checks) and patrolling intensified.

While the BSF mans the Indo-Bangladesh border, the ITBP is posted on the Indo-Tibetan Autonomous Region border, and the SSB is deployed on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border.

“We are on high alert. Since the past few days, night patrolling and checks have been intensified all along the Indo Bangladesh border. Additional forces have been deployed in border areas that are unfenced. Anybody found suspicious or engaged in suspicious activities is being questioned,” said BC Joshi, Assistant Commandant, 61 Battalion, BSF.

The Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has also intensified patrolling and watch since the past week, especially at night, on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan border. Police have beefed up security in border towns.

According to an official, Balurghat police have started conducting checks on motorbikes, four-wheelers along with buses and trucks in the border town of Balurghat in South Dinajpur.

Naka-checking points have been set up at all important intersections of the city covering Raghunathpur, public bus stand, Thana More and Dunlop More.

Briti Sundar Saha, officer in-charge, Balurghat Traffic Police, said: “Sufficient policemen have been deployed for Naka checks.”

South Dinajpur has a long stretch of 252 km border areas of which around 32 km does not have any fencing.