The BSF has deployed boats in riparian stretches along the Bangladesh border in north Bengal to prevent smuggling and other crimes.

The north Bengal frontier of the BSF guards around 936km of the India-Bangladesh border.

“As of now, around 110km of the India-Bangladesh border under the frontier, which include some riverine tracts, do not have fences. To ensure that no illegal activity is carried out along these stretches, we have introduced vigil by boats. Even civil boats have been hired for patrolling,” said Ravi Gandhi, the inspector general of the frontier.

He was speaking to media persons at the frontier headquarters in Kadamtala, on the outskirts of Siliguri, on Friday.

A number of rivers, including the Teesta, Mahananda, Atrayee and the Punarbhaba, enters Bangladesh from north Bengal.

Earlier, there were reports that smugglers were using the rivers, especially during the monsoon, to smuggle different items, especially cattle, into Bangladesh.

Senior BSF officers disclosed details of the seizures and arrests made along the border in the frontier this year. The data showed that altogether, items — which included cattle, narcotic, cough syrup, tablets, gold silver and snake venom — worth over Rs 34 crore were seized from January till September 3 this year.

Also, 170 people, including 70 Bangladeshi nationals and 97 Indians, who were associated with smuggling, were intercepted at the border during the period.

“We are working in consonance with different agencies, including state police, to prevent illegal activities,” said Gandhi.