Agartala: Border Security Force (BSF) has detained 208 for trying to cross international border illegally and seized contraband items worth Rs31.27 crores between 1 December 2020 and November 29 of 2021 in Tripura. The intruders include 115 Indian nationals and 93 Bangladeshi nationals.
Addressing an annual press briefing on November 30, Inspector General (IG) of BSF Tripura frontier Sushanta Kumar Nath said that BSF Tripura Frontier has been making all-out efforts to contain the insurgency activities in the state both independently as well as in close coordination with other security agencies deployed in the state.
IG Nath said that in this year so far, two senior active insurgents of NLFT (BM) have returned to the mainstream after serving in the outfit for more than 20 years. One of them is Self-Styled Lieutenant Jaiba Kalai who surrendered before BSF Tripura Frontier on 18 October this year whereas another Self-Styled Captain Rana Bahadur Debbarma surrendered before BSF Tripura on 9th November.
"It is worth mentioning that in the past few years 25 NLFT members have surrendered before BSF Tripura including 5 insurgents in 2017, 12 insurgents in 2018, 03 insurgents in 2019, 03 insurgents in 2020, and 02 insurgents in 2021", IG Nath said.
He said that BSF Tripura Frontier has been entrusted with the primary responsibility of guarding 856 km of the International Border in the state of Tripura. In spite of facing several challenges like adverse climatic conditions, remote & inhospitable topography, Malaria Epidemic prone Zone in the Eastern parts of the State besides other challenges in the other parts of the State, BSF has been successfully discharging its duties maintaining strict vigil on the borders, checking trans-border crimes and preventing the smuggling activities.
The huge catch of contraband articles seized between 1 December 2020 and November 29 of 2021 include narcotics, drugs, cattle, etc. "Narcotics worth Rs. 12.94 crore which includes Yaba tablets-60,812, Phensedyl/Eskuff Syrup-30,070 Nos, Ganja-12,067.04 Kgs, Liquor-8,351 bottles. 2288 Cattle of Rs 2.34 lakh were also seized. Assorted contraband items worth Rs. 15.98 also seized making a grand total of Rs 31. 27 crores", BSF IG said.
The official said that 42, 84, 269 ganja saplings of Rs 7.76 crore were also seized with joint efforts with state police, state forest department and in solo operations.
