A fire broke out in a patch of vegetation beyond the barbed wire fences on the India-Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur district on Monday.
The on-duty personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) informed the Balurghat fire station about the blaze near Rasulpur in Kumarganj block. Two fire engines went to the spot and doused the flames. The BSF and police are trying to find out what led to the fire.
Sources said residents of Rasulpur had first spotted the flames beyond the fences on Monday afternoon. The villagers informed the BSF about the fire.
“The patch where the fire broke out has bamboo plants, grass and other vegetation. It is surprising how the fire broke out. There is no agricultural field nearby and none from this side goes beyond the fences,” said a villager.
The firemen tried to douse the flames while staying within the fences and finished the task after almost three hours.
The BSF has filed a complaint at Kumarganj police station.
Coordination meet
Officials of the 93rd battalion of the BSF on Monday held a coordination meeting with residents of Nagar Berubari panchayat in the Sadar block of Jalpaiguri district.
At the meeting, the BSF officials spoke to the residents of villages where the border has no fences.
“The meeting was held to tell the villagers that they shouldn’t shelter anybody who illegally crosses the border. They were also requested to inform the BSF and the police in case they noticed any illegal activity in their areas,” said a source.
The BSF has intensified vigil and will conduct regular patrolling at those villages to check infiltration and smuggling. “The villagers have been asked to cooperate with the central security force,” the source added.
The heightened vigil comes amid the political turmoil in Bangladesh.