BSF catches over 2,000 Bangladeshi immigrants

The Border Security Force (BSF) has caught over 2,000 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants at the border, BSF Inspector General Anil Paliwal said Monday.

"We have been keeping a strict vigil on the border and are trying our best to prevent infiltration. Till October, we have apprehended 2,394 illegal immigrants, mostly from Bangladesh," he said.

The 2,394 also included 13 from Myanmar and four from Sri Lanka. The BSF also arrested 750 Indians for trying to illegally cross the Indo-Bangladesh border, Paliwal said.

Paliwal was addressing the media on the occasion of the BSF's 49th Raising Day.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the central government for the Burdwan blast which killed two militants Oct 2 and for what she said was increased infiltration into India from Bangladesh.

Talking about the BSF's modernization plans, Paliwal said latest technology and gadgets, including laser sensors, would be installed at the 915.88-km south Bengal frontier.

Of this, 384.46 km is riverine and the rest land border.

The BSF has this year seized cattle to the tune of Rs.37.12 crore, gold worth Rs.24.32 crore, 641 kg of ganja (hashish) and fake Indian currency notes of the face value in excess of Rs.1.16 crore.

The troopers also arrested 363 smugglers from the border area.