Intel Warns of Rising Infiltration via Nepal Border Ahead of Bangladesh Polls

Officials say that this is a new trend and more such attempts would be made by touts in Bangladesh. The touts who are in cahoots with their Indian counterparts are increasingly using the Nepal route because security is tight along the Indo-Bangladesh border, officials say.

Since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, violence has engulfed the nation, and this has put the Indian agencies on a state of high alert. Many attempts had been made to infiltrate into the northeastern states and West Bengal during this period, but most of the attempts have been foiled by alert Indian forces. This has prompted the touts to look at the Nepal route through which they have been attempting to send illegal immigrants into India.

The infiltration route through Nepal that the touts have been using is near Raxaul in the East Champaran district of Bihar. These touts are still testing the waters, and hence the numbers have been lower. Once they figure it out, they will do it in larger numbers, officials have warned.

There are other routes too, which these touts have tried to use to send in illegal immigrants into India. As per Intelligence agencies, apart from Raxaul, the touts have tried to send in illegal immigrants through Bahraich, Gonda and Balrampur districts. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which mans the Indo-Nepal border, has sounded a high alert and has deployed 1,700 personnel to curb this menace.

These personnel are carrying out intensive combing operations in the forest areas near Nepal to prevent large-scale illegal immigration. In addition to this, the SSB has deployed 9,000 personnel across Pilibhit, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, and Maharajganj.

An Intelligence Bureau official says that the Nepal border is a matter of concern. "We have learnt that a large number of Bangladeshis have taken shelter in the border areas of Nepal and are waiting to enter India illegally," the official said. These people have been staying in Nepal for a long time and are waiting for the right moment to cross over into India.

While the route has changed, the script almost remains the same, officials say. They are being sent in to create demographic changes. Moreover, with the ISI sprucing up the terror infrastructure in Bangladesh to be used against India, many of these illegal immigrants are being sent in to be part of the modules in Bihar, West Bengal and the northeastern states, officials also warn.

Since Operation Sindoor, the ISI has changed its tactics largely. The Nepal border with India, which is open, is being exploited by Pakistan. It has been looking to push in terrorists through this border as the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) are hard to penetrate owing to high security by the Indian armed forces.

Following Hasina's ouster, the ISI, with the Jamaat-e-Islami, has managed to gain control over Bangladesh. These developments have prompted the Indian security agencies to maintain a very high vigil along the border with Bangladesh. This has made sending illegal immigrants into India through the Bangladesh border extremely challenging, and hence the shift is being made to the Nepal border, an official said.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that the push in the months to come will be higher. A major part of the security apparatus would be focused on the West Bengal elections scheduled for this year. The touts who facilitate illegal immigration would look to take advantage of this and spruce it up through the Nepal border, officials warn.

Officials also say that the elections in Bangladesh are slated for February 12. Intelligence agencies are anticipating large-scale violence and disturbances both in the run-up and during the elections. All these events would largely help the touts to carry out illegal immigration, another official said.

The next couple of months would be challenging, and the Indian security agencies will have to deal with multiple issues, especially when it comes to the situation in Bangladesh, an Intelligence Bureau official warns.

- IANS