The five States — West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Mizoram, which share international border with Bangladesh — were put under “high alert” after the Dhaka terror attack in which 28 people, including six terrorists and two policemen, were killed.
The administrations of all the districts bordering Bangladesh have been asked to remain on high alert, police sources said, adding all the hotels particularly the smaller ones, roadside eateries and specific neighbourhoods have been put under surveillance.
“A crackdown by Bangladeshi security forces on the suspected terrorist hideouts along the border may force them to infiltrate India. So our forces have been kept ready and Intelligence agencies have been put on high alert” said a senior police officer.
Based on specific inputs a special check was being conducted across Howrah district, sources said, adding the reverine areas of Sunderbans were also under surveillance.
According to sources, apart from asking to the administration to ensure communal harmony, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed the police to scan “every possible place that evokes suspicion.”
Five-star hotels and areas where Bangladeshis reside in Kolkata have also been brought under police scanner. Special police forces in civil clothe had been deputed to man the heritage and high security installations like the Writers’ Buildings, Victoria Memorial, foreign embassies, railway stations, Calcutta Stock Exchange, NSI Airport, etc., sources said.
Already a strict vigil was on in view of the festive season including Eid and Ratha Yatra “after the Dhaka attack security have been tightened”, a top official said. The BSF was in continuous touch with the Coast Guard to thwart any attempt of suspected terror groups from crossing the border.
“Checks are not only being kept on International Borders but also on the borders with other States to prevent infiltration,” the police officer said, adding the Union Home Ministry and sent a memo to the State Chief Secretary and Home Secretary giving reports on possible terror attacks in Bengal.
The IB and the NIA have also issued such alerts against possible attacks by JMB and Ansarullah Bangladesh Team, officials said, adding “the possibility of these terrorists crossing over to India in the wake of a crackdown by the Bangla security forces has increased after the Dhaka attack.”
A top police official in Agartala said that as soon as the attack broke out BSF and all other security forces including Tripura police, were alerted so that no unwanted elements could cross the border to enter Indian territory.
BSF Inspector General (Meghalaya Frontier) P K Dubey said the force has been put on “very high alert” along the Indo- Bangladesh border in Meghalaya.
“The force has been put on very high alert along the Indo-Bangladesh border following the armed attack in Dhaka. Security has been tightened,” Dubey said.
Dubey said he had spoken to officials of Meghalaya Police for coordination and sharing of information as soon as news of the killings came in.
Meghalaya has over 100 “gaps” consisting of streams, rivers and drains apart from the unfenced 90-km stretch along its 443-km border with Bangladesh.
Accordingly, the BSF has sought cooperation of all state and central intelligence units to ensure that no illegal cross-border movement takes place, he said.
Police personnel posted close to the border have been alerted and asked to keep strict vigil in close coordination with the BSF, a senior police officer said.
The Assam police said it had instructed SPs of all districts, especially the border ones, to keep a strict vigil for any possible ISIS activity in the state.
According to a press release by the Assam Police, allthe SPs have been instructed to gear up their intelligence machinery and keep a close watch on the situation.
Although authorities have not perceived any footprint of ISIS in Assam in the recent past, considering the gravity of the situation in the neighbouring country the alert has been issued, it explained.
“The SPs of Cachar, Karimganj and Dhubri, and BSF along the Assam-Bangladesh border have also been cautioned to be on maximum alert,” the statement said.
Several modules of JMB in Assam were busted in the aftermath of Khagragarh blast in Burdwan district of West Bengal on October 2, 2014.