New Delhi, April 3 — Intelligence agencies have issued fresh warnings of a large-scale push to smuggle illegal immigrants into Assam and West Bengal as both states prepare for elections this month, officials said. The alert follows the Railway Protection Force’s arrest of 14 people, described by officials as Bangladeshi infiltrators, on the New Delhi-bound North-East Express in Jalpaiguri district; authorities say those arrested claimed to have entered via the Assam border using fake documents and intended to travel to New Delhi.
An Intelligence Bureau official told reporters the movement appears coordinated and could involve “several thousands” of migrants, with the largest influx expected before voting concludes. State police in Assam and West Bengal have been asked to step up scrutiny and checks, the official added, warning that election security duties may be creating opportunities for such bids.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a rally in Assam, said illegal immigration is “not just an election slogan but an issue related to Assam’s identity and the security of both the state and the nation,” and warned it affects farmers’ land, the livelihoods of the poor and Adivasis, and the safety of women. He also urged party workers to gather information on illegal encroachments and their local impact.
Security agencies are probing who advised or facilitated the travel of the arrested group and what their intentions were. Officials say investigations are expected to trace networks and intermediaries on both sides of the India–Bangladesh border that may have aided the entries.
Agencies acknowledged close coordination with Bangladesh security forces but said smugglers exploit gaps in fencing and difficult terrain. Of the 4,061-kilometre India–Bangladesh border, about 3,141 km remains unfenced. West Bengal’s 2,216 km boundary includes 569 km unfenced, while Assam’s border poses fencing challenges because over 900 km are riverine or comprise marshlands and hills where permanent barriers are impractical.
Intelligence assessments warn of continued attempts to slip infiltrators across the border during the election period and say overstretched local police could make detection harder. Authorities have been asked to intensify patrols and intelligence-sharing to prevent further entries.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/infiltration-spike-before-polls-agencies-sound-alarm-in-assam-west-bengal
Category: India
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Publish Date: 2026-04-03 17:41:00
