Mamata again asks police not to allow BSF to breach jurisdiction limits

Asserting that law and order is a state subject, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday directed the police in Nadia district having border with Bangladesh not to allow the BSF to enter areas that are outside its jurisdiction.

At an administrative meeting held here, she also asked police officers in the district to increase ‘naka checking’ (checkpoints) and keep extra vigil. ”I will ask the ICs (inspectors-in-charge) to increase their mobility and step up naka checking. You have borders with Bangladesh starting from Karimpur. You also have to keep an eye on that…. ”You also have to see that the BSF does not get into villages without your permission and get involved with anything. The BSF will do their work and you will do yours. Always remember that law and order is your subject. I will not let the common people be tortured,” Banerjee said. For the last couple of days, Banerjee who addressed administrative review meetings in four other districts has been directing the police administration not to allow the BSF breach its jurisdiction limits and get involved in the law and order of the state.

At an administrative meeting held at Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur district on Tuesday, Banerjee referred to the recent killing of 14 civilians in firing by security forces in Nagaland, and alleged that West Bengal has witnessed incidents of BSF getting into villages beyond their jurisdiction in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur. She has directed the DGP to talk to the BSF authorities in this regard.

The Centre recently amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

Banerjee has criticised the decision, alleging that it is an attempt to interfere with the federal structure of the country. She has also claimed that the move ”meant to torture the people in those areas”. She had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month in New Delhi and demanded a rollback of the decision. West Bengal shares international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

On Thursday, Banerjee also announced that an all-women police patrolling team will be formed in municipal areas in each district of the state.

”We will introduce a woman battalion in each municipal area in line with the Winners of Kolkata Police. At least 10 policewomen will patrol the areas on bikes or scooters. I have already asked the DG to work on it,” she said. Aiming to prevent crimes like molestation and eve-teasing and make public places safer for women, Kolkata Police in July 2018 launched a special all-women patrolling team called ”The Winners”. It is learnt that such women police teams would start functioning in Nadia district’s municipal towns of Ranaghat, Kalyani and Krishnanagar within the next 10 days.