India intensifies border vigil in North Bengal after retaliatory strike, BSF boosts security

Following a military response to the terrorist attack on Indian soldiers in Pahalgam, India has significantly strengthened security measures along its northern border. The Indian Army, within 15 days of the attack, carried out missile strikes that destroyed nine terrorist hideouts located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This rapid retaliation has prompted an immediate bolstering of security, especially along the India-Bangladesh border in North Bengal.

The Border Security Force (BSF) has heightened its vigilance and increased the deployment of personnel along the 936-kilometer-long international border in North Bengal. This border area not only shares boundaries with Bangladesh but also Nepal and Bhutan. Areas known for being sensitive, including Panitanki and the “Chicken Neck,” have seen increased patrols. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), tasked with securing the Indo-Nepal border, has also ramped up its presence.

In districts such as Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, which share significant portions of the border with Bangladesh, security has been elevated. In Cooch Behar, approximately 40 kilometers of the border still lacks barbed wire fencing, and the BSF has doubled its patrols in these areas to prevent any potential breaches. At the same time, BSF personnel have been stationed at critical border posts in the region to monitor cross-border activities more closely.

The heightened security measures are also evident in North Dinajpur, where the 227-kilometer-long border with Bangladesh is closely monitored. In the Chopra block, which includes areas like Lakshmipur, Ghirniganj, and Daspada, along with other sensitive Panchayats, BSF presence has been increased. These regions are densely populated, with thousands of Indian citizens living near the border, many of whom rely on cross-border movement for agricultural purposes.

With the intensified security, BSF has imposed stricter checks on those crossing the border for farming activities. In particular, the movement of farmers who regularly travel across the border to work on land in India has been scrutinized more carefully. As tensions remain high after India’s military response, both sides are on heightened alert to prevent any escalation or unauthorized activities along the border.