In a move aimed at strengthening surveillance along the India-Bangladesh border and curbing infiltration, Malda district police have submitted a proposal to the state government for setting up three new police stations, two new police outposts and upgrading an existing police camp into an outpost.

Police sources said that the submission of the proposal was a part of the administrative process. They expressed confidence in the proposal getting the state government’s approval.

Malda superintendent of police Anupam Singh briefed the media on Sunday about
the proposal.

“We have proposed to upgrade the police outposts at Kumbhira under Baishnabnagar police station, Golapganj under Kaliachak police station and Bulbulchandi under Habibpur police station into full-fledged police stations. We have also proposed setting up two new police outposts — one at Jajoil under Habibpur police station, and another at Jagdala under Bamangola police station. The police camp at Mahadipur, under Englishbazar police station, has also been proposed to be upgraded into a police outpost,” SP Singh said.

He said approval of the proposal would also lead to a substantial increase in police strength in the district.

Malda shares a long and porous international border with Bangladesh.

The district has for long remained vulnerable to infiltration, cattle smuggling and the trafficking of narcotics.

Following the formation of the new state government, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari directed officials to transfer land to the BSF to facilitate barbed-wire fencing along vulnerable stretches of the border.

The fencing work is currently underway. Singh said the district police would continue to work in close coordination with the BSF to strengthen border security and curb infiltration.

The Habibpur and Bamangola police station areas, which have some of the longest unfenced stretches of the international border, are expected to benefit the most from the proposal, with one new police station and two new outposts planned for
the region.

Joel Murmu, BJP MLA from Habibpur and minister of state for tribal development, welcomed the move. “Cattle smuggling, infiltration and narcotics smuggling have been major concerns in my Assembly constituency. The establishment of new police stations and outposts will significantly strengthen policing and help reduce these crimes,” he said.