Touts still taking advantage of unfenced areas along India-Bangladesh border to undertake infiltration ::: Alarm in Assam, West Bengal ..Infiltration spike before polls !!

The central agencies have alerted law and order enforcing agencies including CAPF and state police in both Assam and West Bengal to carry out heavy scrutiny, as the 'infiltration' push that is being made is reportedly very big.

It could run into several thousands of illegal immigrants, and the biggest push would be made before the voting is complete. 

There has been a massive push to send illegal immigrants into Assam and West Bengal, in a clear sign that attempts are being made to vitiate the atmosphere in these states as elections are set to be held. 

The alert comes after the Railway Protection Force (RPF) arrested 14 Bangladeshi infiltrators in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on the New Delhi-bound North-East Express train. The agencies are further probing on whose advice these people had come to India and what their purpose was. 

Reportedly during interrogation, 14 arrested people revealed that they came in through the Assam border using fake documents and had planned on going to New Delhi and some other parts of north India. 

Of course it is a matter of deep concern that why and how many people are managing to enter the country when the security at the India-Bangladesh border is supposedly so tight.  

Out of the 4,061-kilometre border, around 3,141 kilometres remain unfenced. 

West Bengal shares a 2,216-kilometre border, of which 569 is unfenced. 

The 'unfencing' in West Bengal is largely blamed on non-cooperation of the Mamata Govt which allegedly did not provide land.

In the case of Assam, the fencing has been difficult due to marshlands, hills and riverine areas. 

Over 900 kilometres of the total border is riverine, where fencing is impossible. 

These riverine areas had provided 'escape routes' to many Awami League supporters ad workers especially Hindus to flee Bangladesh during the peak of anti-Sheikh Hasina protest and immediately after the interim regime had taken over the charge of administration in Bangladesh.   

Infiltration from Bangladesh into India is a significant national security and political issue, characterized by illegal border crossings for economic migration, smuggling, and seeking refuge. As of April 2026, the situation remains a top priority for Indian security agencies. 

In 2025, the India-Bangladesh border recorded its highest number of infiltration attempts in nearly a decade, with 1,104 detected attempts and 2,556 arrests made between January and November. This surpassed the 977 cases reported in 2024.

Recent spikes are attributed to political instability in Bangladesh following the 2024 government change, economic challenges such as high food inflation (reaching 14.10% in mid-2024), and sectarian tensions.

India shares a 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, of which approximately 79% is currently fenced. About 850 km remains unfenced, including 175 km of difficult riverine and swampy terrain that is geographically impossible to secure with traditional barriers.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Assam, made it clear that illegal immigration is not just an election slogan but an issue that is related to Assam’s identity and security of both the state and the nation. The PM said that it affects the land of farmers, the livelihoods of the poor and Adivasis, and the security of women.

Modi also reiterated his claims in multiple rallies that the Congress party was supporting 'infiltrators' in Assam. The PM also urged the BJP workers in the state to collect details of illegal entry and encroachments by Bangladeshis "and find out the megative impacts" of the same. 

"Central forces would not be withdrawn from Bengal": Supreme Court after ECI flags Mamata video  

The Election Commission on Monday furnished in the Supreme Court videos purportedly showing Mamata Banerjee and other Trinamool leaders telling voters they would be beaten up by the central forces deployed by the top court.

After a brief look, an apparently annoyed Supreme Court made oral observation stating the central forces “would not be withdrawn” from West Bengal. 

Central forces will not be withdrawn from West Bengal looking at the way things have happened in past, says SC.

Counsel D. Seshadri Naidu, representing the poll panel before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that was hearing an SIR case on April 6, alleged that the Trinamool leaders were misleading voters about the central forces.

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, intervened to say that “democracy was in danger” in Bengal.  

The Election Commission handed over to the Supreme Court a speech allegedly made by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee telling people "the CRPF people are coming from UP to beat you up, be prepared."

Naidu said: "The rabble rousing will only vitiate the atmosphere"

CJI Surya Kant remarked - "if the state machinery fails then we will see what to do".  

“Looking at the way things have happened in the recent past, the central forces will not be withdrawn from West Bengal. If the state machinery fails to discharge its duty, we will see what should be done,” Justice Kant orally observed.

He said a communication from Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul had said that as of noon on Monday, 59.15 lakh of the 60.06 lakh cases under adjudication had been disposed of by the judicial officers.

A study claims disproportionality between the Muslim share of the electorate and the community’s share among deleted voters in Nandigram in the East Midnapore district.

In 2021 Assembly poll, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari humbled Mamata Banerjee in the seat. Adhikari is contesting again this time besides Bhawanipore from where the TMC supremo is seeking re-election.  

The BJP leaders say: "We are confident of Suvendu winning from both the seats Nandigram and Bhawanipore. Voters in Bhawanipore will create a national record when Mamata Banerjee will become the first sitting Indian CM to lose assembly election twice". 

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