‘West Bengal-Bangladesh border to be sealed off’

India has ordered the authority concerned to seal off West Bengal border with Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries in the wake of last week’s blast in Burdwan district.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting with the Special IG, CID, Damayanti Sen at the State Secretariat, Director General of Indian Police, GMP Reddy, told reporters in Kolkata.

According to a report by the Hindu, a high-alert was issued on Monday across West Bengal after the blast, in which suspected terrorists are said to have a hand.

“All police stations in the state have been asked to maintain a strict vigil against any subversive activity or attempt at sabotage,” Reddy said.

Asked if they were suspecting involvement of any terrorist outfit in the blast, Reddy said: “We are not ruling out any possibility. Everything is being looked into.”

Two suspected militants — Shakil Ahmed and Sovan Mandal — were killed and another, Hasan Saheb, was injured in the explosion which occurred on October 2 at a house in Khagragarh of Burdwan district.

Another person, Hafez Mollah alias Hasan, who was detained on Sunday by the CID from his house at Khar Duttapa in Purbostholi, was formally arrested on Monday.

Two women were also arrested on Sunday in connection with the blast in which the involvement of terror outfits like LeT and HuJI is being suspected, the report said.

West Bengal shares international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. It also shares boundaries with Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim and Assam.