'BSF detains 6444 Bangladeshis in five years'

Indian Border Security Force has detained a total of 6444 Bangladeshis from Bangladesh-India border in five years, reported ANI based on data released by the Indian government.

BSF created the data based on its operations conducted between 2017 and 2021 during which a total of 6,712 ‘intruders’ were apprehended while entering into Indian territory both from Bangladesh-India and India-Pakistan borders.

A total of 268 ‘intruders’ were held while entering into Indian territory through the India-Pakistan border and the remaining 6,444 were held from India Bangladesh border between 2017 and 2021, said BSF.

Of the 6,444 Bangladeshis apprehended from the India-Bangladesh border, a maximum of 4,796 were caught from South Bengal followed by 585 from North Bengal, 558 from Tripura, 248 from Meghalaya, 214 from Guwahati and 43 from Mizoram and Cachar.

Of the 268 people apprehended at the India-Pakistan border, 60 were held from Rajasthan, 19 from Jammu, 156 from Punjab and 33 from Rajasthan.

A data of Indian government revealed that a total of 1,252 ‘intruders’ were apprehended in 2020; 1,408 in 2019; 1,173 in 2018; and 1,251 in 2017. However, 16 ‘intruders’ were killed in 2020, six in 2019, eight in 2018 and 11 in 2017.

“Infiltration attempts” into India through international borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan registered a record in 2021 in comparison to the last five years with a total of 1,628 incoming apprehension as well as killings of 18 intruders, the report added.

A senior officer in the BSF said: “Most of the intruders who tried to infiltrate into Indian territory from Bangladesh were those trying to find jobs here while a few of them were engaged in the illegal trade of smuggling of drugs and human trade.”