BSF-police joint operation in border hamlets of Tripura

Agartala, Mar 31 (UNI) The Border Security Force(BSF) and Tripura police personnel have jointly launched an operation in selective Indo-Bangladesh border villages following the arrest of a Bangladeshi national, allegedly involved in anti-Indian activities and explosive-trafficking network.

The Bangladeshi national - Mamun Mian alias Suman Majumdar - was arrested on Friday night from a rented house at Ramnagar here.

Police told UNI here today that intelligence input was indicating that a few pockets of Tripura bordering Bangladesh had become increasingly a safe corridor for the terrorists as well as arms smugglers.

'' The HUJI-B operatives often use the state as their route to reach mainland India, '' police said.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) had been exploring the intelligence inputs, while the police-BSF joint operation team were mobilising more forces in particular areas to monitor the outsiders' movements at airport, National Highway checkposts and international bus terminus.

Detailing 'Mamun' case, Mr Das said the Bangladeshi arms dealer, suspected to have links with Harkat-Ul-Jihad-Islami, was shifted to Kolkata yesterday by the CID officials of West Bengal police.

'' The West Bengal CID officials came to Agartala and contacted us. On the basis of their information, we carried out a raid at the rented house of Mamun, who was arrested and then produced before the court. He was given transit remand for Kolkata, '' said Mr Subrata Chakraborty, West Agartala police station Officer-in-Charge.

Police officials also stated that West Bengal police on January 15 nabbed two other Bangladeshi nationals - Shamim Akhtar and Alamgir Hussain - from Shalimar with several incriminating documents pertaining to maps and details of the Army camps in North Bengal.

Mamun was staying at the rented house with an assumed name of 'Suman Majumdar' and he had also got his permanent residence certificate from here, said Mr Chakraborty adding, '' Mamun has told the unsuspecting house owner that he is from West Bengal and a garment trader. '' It was strongly suspected that both Bangladeshi nationals could be members of any terrorist outfit and were conducting some reconnaissance on Indian military establishments at the behest of foreign intelligence agencies, said a senior official of Central intelligence.

Intelligence agencies had always suspected that Tripura, especially Akhaura (Agartala), Sonamura in West Tripura districts, Dharmanagar and Kailashahar borders in North Tripura districts, were being used by the Bangladeshi terrorists to enter other states in the Hindi heartland for carrying out anti-India activities.

'' The anti-Indian elements could have already established 'modules' in this bordering state which help them during their stay and travel to other states, '' the official pointed out.

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