AMN
In major decision the government of India has decided to set up a task force comprising senior officers of border states and paramilitary forces to identify cross border crimes along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Decision was taken following terror attack in Dhaka recently
The task force will be headed by the Director General of Police, West Bengal with Additional Director General (Border), Assam and Inspectors General of North Bengal, South Bengal and Guwahati Frontier of the Border Security Force as its members.
The decision comes in the wake of recent terror attack in Bangladesh. The body has been created to strengthen the system at the State level to identify the crime syndicate involved in Cross Border Crimes and to take action against such syndicates. A Home Ministry spokesperson said, the task force will submit its report within one month.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by Ministry of Home Affairs last night. The meeting was attended by senior officials of five bordering States on Indo-Bangladesh Border – Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. The meeting was chaired by Secretary (Border Management) Susheel Kumar. Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi also gave his guidance to the States towards the end of the meeting. Mr Kumar reviewed the situation in the light of heightened threat perception of infiltration.
As per the agreed Institutional Mechanism, Director Generals of Police of all bordering States will hold monthly meetings with IGs of BSFs in charge of that State regularly for effective coordination at State level to enhance security along the Indo-Bangladesh Border.
This forum will ensure that FIRs are lodged by State police based on the complaints filed by BSF leading to arrest, investigation, charge sheet and conviction in border crimes.
Issues of concern relating to the civil and police administration were discussed in the meeting. It includes cross border terrorism, smuggling, non-registration of FIRs in some States, arrest and investigation, charge sheet and conviction in border crimes, problem of forged identity cards, cattle smuggling and poppy cultivation in border areas. The issues related to fencing of border were also discussed.
It was decided that data of Apprehension of Cross Border Criminals being maintained by BSF will be shared with State Police of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram to develop Institutional Mechanism for tracking of follow up action on such criminals, the spokesperson said.
In order to mitigate the problem of Indian villages located between fence and border and to enhance security along
IBB, it was decided that fence will be shifted towards the zero line to bring Indian villages within the fence.
The State Governments were asked to expedite land acquisition for Border Infrastructure works.