Kolkata: Border Security Force (BSF) wants to operate in West Bengal maintaining an amicable relationship with the state police, said the additional director general (ADG) of BSF YB Khurania.
“BSF is not an investigative agency. Our main target is to prevent illegal infiltration. We never want to interfere in the jurisdiction of the state police. We always want to maintain an amicable relationship with the state police,” Khurania said at a press meet here on Wednesday.
He allayed the fears of the state government about the BSF’s power to arrest from 50 kilometers within the borders. According to him, although BSF has the power to arrest, they never keep the arrested persons in their custody for days. He said that after some time from the arrest BSF hands over the arrested person to the state police. The only difference now is that previously the arrest power was within 15 kilometers from the border and now it is 50 kilometers.
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On Tuesday, the state government moved a resolution on the floor of the state assembly against the recent notification of the Union ministry of home affairs extending the area jurisdiction in the three bordering states of West Bengal, Punjab, and Assam. The resolution was passed by a majority of 112 to 63 votes.
During the discussions on this resolution, Trinamool Congress legislator Udayan Guha made an explosive allegation against the BSF guards claiming that they touch the private parts of women in front of their children in the name of search and frisking. A ruckus broke out in the state assembly after his comments as the BJP legislators started protesting. Guha even entered into a heated exchange of words with BJP legislator Mihir Goswami.
Meanwhile, Khurania said that BSF does not have any special power like the police to file FIRs and do any follow-up investigation. "We hand over the arrested persons either to the state police or any law enforcing agency concerned. The power of the state police is extended till the international borderline," he said.
According to him, the extended jurisdiction of BSF will just strengthen the state police. "This is a move aimed at the state police’s efforts to prevent border area crime. BSF always believes and makes efforts for joint cooperation and joint action with state police,” he said. At the same time, he reminded that in states like Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, BSF’s authority is extended throughout the state.
