SSB: Intelligence boosted vigil

S Bandopadhyay, IG at Ranidanga near
Siliguri on Tuesday. (Passang Yolmo)

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, 19 December 2017, Siliguri: The Sashastra Seema Bal's Siliguri frontier said on Tuesday that introduction of an intelligence wing had helped increase vigil on borders with Nepal and Bhutan as was evident from a steady rise in seizures of contrabands.

The paramilitary force that has its frontier headquarters at Ranidanga, on the Siliguri outskirts, guards 315km of India-Nepal border and 215km India-Bhutan boundary. In total, nine battalions are posted under the frontier.

"Earlier, we did not have a intelligence wing along the frontier. We introduced the wing here in August this year to curb cross-border crimes and to intensify vigil. The decision has helped us as was evident from a rise in seizures," said S. Bandopadhyay, the inspector-general of the SSB's Siliguri frontier.

He said the SSB had seized contraband articles worth Rs 553 crore in the current year. The seized items include fake Indian currency, antique idols, narcotics, forest produce, animal body parts and cattle. "Also, we have seized 39 firearms, ammunition and explosives," he added.

This is much higher than the annual seizure made by the frontier in 2016.

SSB officers said the increase in seizures also indicated that cross-border smuggling was on the rise.

Bandopadhyay also announced measures to increase the vigil along the border. "We are always alert but anyone can move to the other side freely because of the porous border. Hence, we are planning to increase the number of border outposts and have installed surveillance gadgets like cameras at major points," he said.

At Panitanki and Jaigaon, the prime points to enter Nepal and Bhutan, respectively, 10 cameras have been installed by the SSB.