Acting on a tip-off, Border Security Force ( BSF) apprehended five members of a family including a child as they were crossing the international border illegally from Bangladesh to India in Jalpaiguri district yesterday, a senior official said today.
BSF also seized five mobile phones and 48, 602 Bangladeshi Taka from their possession.
According to BSF under North Bengal Frontier, 36-year-old Manik Barman, son of Hari Mohan Barman, along with his wife, two daughters and one child, residents of Goreya Gopalpur under Thakurgaon district of Bangladesh crossed the border and entered into Indian territory, which was under Koutilya Border Outpost.
After thorough interrogation the BSF officials have come to a conclusion they entered into Indian territory to earn their livelihood.
15 Battalion BSF officials handed all apprehended family members over to Kotwali police station in Jalpaiguri today.
In addition, from 20 October to till date, troops of under command Battalions of North Bengal Frontier BSF carried out anti-smuggling drive in their respective border areas in order to thwart any attempt by anti national elements to execute their nefarious design of smuggling and seized five cattle, 350 Phensedyl bottles, and other contraband items from different border areas. The total value of seized items is Rs 1,76,140.
All items were seized by BSF troops while smugglers were trying to smuggle these items from India to Bangladesh, a senior BSF official said.