SHILLONG: With the seizure of four trucks carrying coal illegally to Bangladesh violating the NGT ban, the Border Security Force has sought the help of the Border Guard Bangladesh to enhance its surveillance.
The move was also to curb the smuggling activities of Bangladeshi nationals in Indian territory.
The BSF troops deployed at BOP Kanai, South Garo Hills district, effected the seizure of four trucks loaded with coal on international border on April 13 night and foiled the attempt of smugglers to ferry coal from India to Bangladesh after breaking the lock of Indo-Bangladesh border fence gate.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, the BSF spokesperson said that it is planning to have more simultaneous co-ordinate patrolling with the BGB in those areas where such attempts are possible, especially in difficult terrain of Garo Hills districts.
The statement further said that the BSF troops have been equipped with special surveillance equipments including Night Vision Goggles (NVG), monocular, Hand Held Thermal imagers (HHTI) for effective surveillance during night.
“The BSF is determined to foil any ill design of smugglers and other anti national elements at international border”, the statement added.
Narrating on the foiled attempt to smuggle coal, the BSF said that the troops first noticed some movement of miscreants near the Indo-Bangladesh border fence who were trying to smuggle coal from India to Bangladesh. “As soon as the BSF night domination party rushed to the spot, it was found that some Bangladeshi nationals had also intruded into Indian territory to help Indian smugglers, who had managed to break the fence gate and taken four coal-laden trucks”, the BSF statement said.
When BSF troops challenged them, all Bangladeshi nationals and four truck drivers fled away towards Bangladesh taking the advantage of darkness leaving coal laden trucks behind. The BSF has seized all the four trucks loaded with coal an FIR was also lodged.
The BSF spokesperson also informed that out of seized four trucks, one truck bearing No. ML 09A 6728 is of Meghalaya and other three trucks bearing No. AS 01EC 0612, AS 18C 5070 and AS 01 EC 2043 belonged to Assam.
Ownership of the trucks could not be ascertained as all the drivers fled away, however, it is being investigated by police, the BSF said.
” The attempt of smugglers to smuggle coal in such a huge quantity is probably first in Kanai area”, the BSF said, adding after the enhanced vigil by the BSF on the known roots for coal transportation Baghamara, Bagli, Barsora, the smugglers started to exploit other difficult roots to smuggle coal after the NGT ban.
