Intelligence agencies, both central and state, have been put on high alert in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, especially in the villages close to the international border, following inputs on fresh attempts by Bangladesh-based underground outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT) trying to infiltrate.

Sources said that the alerts had been issued following inputs that some JMB and HUT activists, currently operating out of the Rajsahi and Chapai-Nawabganj districts in Bangladesh, are making attempts in small groups to illegally cross into the Indian territory in the Murshidabad district to reactivate the sleeper cells.

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Sources added that the inputs were received after the central intelligence officials were able to track some communications made by these JMB and HUT activists with their local moles in Murshidabad through various Internet-based communication channels.

Among those local contacts who were contacted by the JMB and HUT activists, sources added, a couple of them are attached to some ‘khariji (unregistered)’ madrasas operating out of some India-Bangladesh bordering villages in Murshidabad district.

Intelligence agencies also suspect that besides reactivating the sleeper cells, the Bangladesh-based operators also intend to scout for new recruits for the sleeper cells considering their constant communication with such khariji madrasa teachers.

The sleuths of the intelligence agencies, both central and state, have increased their surveillance at the villages close to the international border in Murshidabad. Similar surveillance has beefed up at the bordering villages in the adjacent Malda district also.

The Border Security Force (BSF) outposts in these two districts have also been alerted accordingly.

The house owners in these bordering villages have been advised not to rent rooms to unknown outsiders without properly checking their identity credentials. At the same time, the house owners have also been advised to update the local police stations about their new tenants.

A few months back the Union home ministry directed the overhauling of the security arrangements of Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly following inputs from the central agencies that the latter has become the target of both JMB and HUT.

Till November last year, Adhikari was entitled to “Z” category security only within the state of West Bengal. However, after the threat alert, the same security is now provided to the LoP wherever he travels within India.