North 24 Parganas: In yet another success in its drive against trans-border smuggling at the India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended a smuggler and recovered illegal arms, according to an official statement.
The arrested smuggler was identified as Ali Mandal, officials said.
Acting on concrete information, the troops of Border Outpost Mysimpur of the 68 Battalion under the South Bengal Frontier, on the India-Bangladesh border, apprehended a smuggler on September 16 along with 1 country-made pistol, 2 magazines, and 5 live Rounds (7.65 mm). The smuggler was trying to cross the illegal weapon from India to Bangladesh.
“The incident took place at Border Outpost Mysimpur, 68 Battalion of BSF deployed in the border area of the North 24 Parganas district of Bengal. BSF jawans received information from reliable sources about arms smuggling from India to Bangladesh. As soon as the input was confirmed, the troops laid an ambush in the suspected area and surrounded the area from all sides. At about 0920 hrs., the ambush party noticed two suspicious persons in the banana plantation who were disguised as fake farmers. As soon as BSF jawans advanced forward to arrest them, they started running away from the spot. BSF jawans quickly chased and caught a person and seized 1 country-made pistol, 2 magazines, and 5 live Rounds (7.65 mm) from his possession," according to the statement.
During preliminary interrogation, Ali Mandal admitted that he was involved in all types of cross-border smuggling. He further revealed that this morning Salim Sahji, a resident of his village, gave him a pistol, two magazines, and five live Rounds and told him to cross the border and hand them over to Abdul Mandal and Rahim Mandal, residents of the village Gopalpur, Bangladesh. He also revealed that Lalim Mandal, of his village, was also his accomplice who fled from the spot, the statement read.
This is the second major action of the BSF in 24 hours in the matter of capturing illegal arms, and the troops have also succeeded in catching the arms smuggler. Recently, in an incident on September 15, troops of Border Post Tarali, 112 Battalion, also seized 2 country-made pistols, 1 live round, and 3 kg of ganja at the border, according to the statement. The arrested smuggler and the seized goods were handed over to Police Station Baghdah for further legal action.
The Border Security Force is taking strict steps to stop smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border. He also stated that the intelligence department of the BSF is gathering more information about arms smuggling. He further stated that BSF jawans would also catch the smuggler who absconded from the spot, the statement read. (ANI)
