Police have asked hotels, lodges and other commercial accommodations in Jaigaon that shares border with Bhutan to install a software in computers so that details of boarders can be uploaded and the same tracked on a real time basis by the law enforcers.

The initiative, the police said, was taken to curb trans-border crimes and watch the movement of outsiders, including tourists.

“Once the software is installed in the computers on the reception desks of the lodgings, every guest’s details, along with his/her photo and identity proof, can be uploaded. The information will then reach the server at the police station in Jaigaon. Further, the receptionist will also have to enter the cellphone number of the boarder. The guest will receive an OTP (one time password) on the phone. The number has to be entered in the computer by the receptionist to validate that the boarder is carrying the same connection,” said a police officer

The system would become operational from January 1.

Located around 60km from here, Jaigaon has Phuentsholing, the commercial capital of Bhutan, on the other side of the border.

In recent months, there were a number of cases in which Bhutanese nationals were arrested with animal parts and even smaller animals like Tokay gecko (a lizard species) in north Bengal. Some others from Bhutan were held with smuggled gold and narcotics.

“There were also instances of Indian criminals sneaking into Bhutan to evade arrests. To prevent all these people from taking shelter at hotels in Jaigaon and the surrounding areas, a new software was launched by police,” said a source.

If any anti-social element intends to stay at these accommodations, the date would help the police and other agencies zero in on him, Kuntal Banerjee, the additional superintendent of police of Jaigaon, said.