The Hindu : National : ‘Malda, Murshidabad present a porous border’

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Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008
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‘Malda, Murshidabad present a porous border’

Marcus Dam

Border with Pakistan well-patrolled
Absence of fencing makes Malda vulnerable

KOLKATA: The stretch of West Bengal’s border with Bangladesh along the Malda and Murshidabad districts is particularly vulnerable to infiltration from across the other side as it is largely unfenced and a considerable portion is separated by rivers, sources in the Border Security Force (BSF) said here on Tuesday.

They were commenting on reports that the three militants, allegedly belonging to the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit, the Jaish-e-Mohammad, arrested recently in Jammu, had sneaked into the country from Bangladesh through Malda.

The men had planned to launch a suicide attack during the ongoing elections in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the police authorities of that State.

Vigil intensified

The BSF authorities have information that militants might be trying to sneak into the country through the West Bengal-Bangladesh border, where vigil has been intensified following the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26.

“But the numerical strength of troops at our disposal is simply not enough. There has been a movement of troops to Jammu and Kashmir prior to the elections there. Moreover, the country’s border with Pakistan is well-patrolled at the cost of this side [West Bengal’s border with Bangladesh],” a senior official told The Hindu.

Just about half the stretch of the border in the BSF’s South Bengal frontier (that includes the Malda sector) is fenced.

“More fencing needed”

“We keep harping on the need for more fencing. There is, besides, more than 300 km of the border separated by rivers. It is the absence of fencing and the terrain that combine to make Malda one of the worst regions in terms of vulnerability to infiltration,” he said.

“Added to this are the nearly 180 villages located within 150 yards of the zero line along the South Bengal frontier of the border with Bangladesh where those trying to trying to sneak in find a convenient shelter before moving on. The border runs through some of these villages,” the official said.

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