It's horrific & poses threat to India's security and sovereignty, says Samujjal Bhattacharjya

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Expressing serious concern over the discovery of a secret tunnel in Karimganj district connecting Bangladesh, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has termed the development as a threat to security and sovereignty of India.

"Discovery of a secret tunnel in Karimganj district connecting India and Bangladesh is horrific. The development has proved the callousness of the Central and also the State governments. It is a threat to the security and sovereignty of the country. Endangering of the Assam border is an inexcusable crime. We demand total sealing of the international border as per provisions of the Assam Accord," AASU chief advisor Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjya told The Sentinel on Monday.

It may be mentioned that while rescuing a kidnapped man in Karimganj district, the Assam Police discovered a tunnel connecting India and Bangladesh in the district. The police have suspected that the tunnel is being used by international gangs involved in kidnapping and smuggling on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border.

There are reports that a person identified as Dilwar Hossain — a resident of Shilua Village under Nilambazar Police Station in Karimganj — was kidnapped in the last part of December, 2020. After an FIR was lodged, the Karimganj Police launched a search operation to trace Hossain. The search operation eventually led to the discovery of this tunnel. It is covered with plants; and there is a barbed wire fence above it.

The Assam Police has already taken up the matter with the Border Security Force (BSF). Sources said that the tunnel leads to Sylhet in Bangladesh, adding that anti-social elements regularly use it.

Dr Bhattacharjya — who is also the advisor of North East Students' Organization (NESO) — has written about this issue on his twitter handle. His tweet has triggered sharp reactions on the social media. Replying to Dr Bhattacharjya's tweet, someone has written that Pakistan-sponsored terrorists enter Kashmir in the same way (creating tunnels). Now this is being used by Bangladeshis, said another twitter user.

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