Villagers in Mekhliganj, Cooch Behar district of North Bengal, set up temporary barbed-wire fences along a 1.5 km stretch of land on Friday, defying threats from the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).
The incident began when villagers started erecting the fences early in the morning. BGB personnel and villagers from the other side ordered them to stop, but the locals continued the work on their own fields.
“We contacted the Border Security Force (BSF), and with their help, we completed the 1.5 km stretch. We plan to finish the next 2.5 km in a few days,” a villager said. The villagers cited ongoing issues with cross-border activities, including destruction of crops by Bangladesh’s cattle, theft of paddy and livestock, and infiltration by Bangladeshis.
“We are determined to put up our own fences with the BSF’s assistance,” one local added. While standard fences are 10 feet high, the villagers managed to construct five-foot-high barriers due to limited resources.
This incident follows reports of the BGB obstructing fencing projects by the BSF along the border. On Monday, similar tensions were reported in Sukdebpur, Kaliachak, Malda district, where BGB forces hindered BSF attempts to construct fences.
Local sources indicated that BGB had set up bunkers and incited resistance from Bangladeshi villagers. The BSF has urged Indian villagers to remain calm to prevent further escalation.
Meanwhile, construction work at the Sukdebpur border remained suspended for the second day on Friday. Indian authorities are reportedly avoiding direct confrontation for diplomatic reasons to prevent any opportunity for Bangladesh to portray India as the aggressor
In a separate development, central intelligence agencies have warned about the possible presence of 150,000 Rohingyas hiding in Bengal. Security agencies have intensified surveillance in both rural and urban areas, particularly in the ten districts bordering Bangladesh.
“There are reports of Rohingyas hiding in Kolkata, Howrah, Asansol, and Siliguri slums. Police are closely monitoring potential hideouts,” a senior official said. Intelligence reports also suggest that villages in Malda, Birbhum, and Murshidabad are under scrutiny.
The heightened vigilance follows recent border tensions, with many Bangladeshi nationals reportedly fleeing to India for safety.
The alert comes amid investigations into the Jamat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist network.
Security agencies revealed that JMB operatives Tarikul and Sajibul had been recruiting science students, particularly those with chemistry backgrounds, to train in explosives manufacturing.
The network allegedly targeted Siliguri, a crucial link between Northeast India and the rest of the country, for subversive activities.Authorities have increased security across Bengal in response to these developments.
