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West Bengal to set up more police stations to thwart ISI

The West Bengal government has decided to set up more police stations in the border areas of the state to check the activities of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and some militant groups from Assam.

"The expansion and bifurcation of existing police stations in the border areas has become absolutely necessary in view of the growing activities of the ISI and militant groups like the ULFA [United Liberation Front of Asom] and the Bodos,'' a state home (police) department spokesman said today.

A large part of the budgetary allocation for the home department for 1999-2000 will be spent on bifurcation and expansion of police stations, particularly in the border districts, the spokesman said.

He said the state government has already decided to create at least seven new police stations in Nadia, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Murshidabad districts.

Nadia, Murshidabad and Darjeeling districts have long borders with Bangladesh, while Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar have borders with both Bangladesh and Bhutan.

He said the ISI, which has bases in Nepal and Bangladesh, is using the Siliguri corridor, Nadia and Murshidabad districts for its activities, while the ULFA and Bodo militants frequently go from their hideouts in Bhutan to Assam through Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar.

The spokesman said the state government has gathered ample proof of Pakistan's subversive activities in the state following the recent arrests of some ISI agents.

He said some agents have links with Afghan mercenaries and even international terrorists like Osama bin Laden. The main job of these agents is to recruit Muslim youths from the state and arrange for their training in explosives in Bangladesh.

"It is now clear from the interrogations of these agents that the ISI has maintained close links with some Muslim fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh. These fundamentalist groups are not only arranging for the training of the recruits but also providing them with explosives," he said.

The spokesman said one of these agents had also divulged a plan to attack the US consulates in Calcutta and Madras.

The agent, who was handed over to the Intelligence Bureau, has been brought back to the state for trial, he said.

But he denied a report that the agent was released by police after his arrest and was re-arrested recently at New Delhi railway station after being found to be carrying RDX.

The spokesman said the Union home ministry has already directed the central intelligence agencies to work together to help the state curb the activities of the ISI.

The state government has been demanding that a co-ordinating body be set up so that intelligence agencies can effectively counter the activities of ISI-backed extremist groups.

It first learnt of the ISI's plans for the state after the arrest of ULFA vice-president Pradip Gogoi. The arrest of four youths from Lalgola in Murshidabad district by the Delhi police in connection with some bomb blasts in the national capital last year also provided vital information.

The spokesman said the state government has also decided to strengthen the intelligence network in the border districts to contain infiltration from Bangladesh.

The government has repeatedly expressed concern at the growing infiltration from Bangladesh and Chief Minister Jyoti Basu even took up the matter with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed during her recent visit to the state.

EARLIER REPORTS:
Assam governor asks Centre to seal Bangladesh border
Army conducts huge exercise in Siliguri
Basu asks Sheikh Hasina to curb infiltration from Bangladesh

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