Infiltrators lurking beyond the borders will send them back the same way they entered: Adhikari

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari offers sweets and flowers to security personnel during Diwali celebrations, November 8, 2026. | Photo credit: ANI

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday (Nov 9, 2026) said infiltrators were lurking across the border and vowed to send them back the same way they try to enter India.

Mr. Adhikari spent Diwali afternoon with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Hingalganj in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.

After inspecting the area in a BSF motorboat in the Ichhamati river, which serves as the India-Bangladesh border, the CM said he could see no fencing on the Bangladeshi side and no infiltrators lurking along the border. “The Bangladeshis are there. If they find a loophole, they will quickly enter India,” he said.

Mr Adhikari said thousands of infiltrators were pushed back to Bangladesh after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power. “We will search for the infiltrators and send them back the same way they came. The search will continue 15 kilometers from the border,” he said.

The BJP government came to power in West Bengal on a promise to push back infiltrators and the BJP government claims to be sending back thousands of infiltrators.

Accusing the previous Trinamool Congress government of non-cooperation with the BSF, Mr. Adhikari said great coordination was achieved between the West Bengal Police and the BSF under his government.

“As the Chief Minister of the state, I apologize to you for the derogatory remarks and behavior of the previous regime towards BSF and CRPF,” he said.

The BJP government in West Bengal has handed over about 1,777 acres of land in nine border districts to the BSF for fencing and setting up bases along the India-Bangladesh border.

India shares a 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, of which about 2,216 km lies along West Bengal.

The Chief Minister said that most of the issues have been resolved and land for fencing along Ichhamati has been allotted. Mr. Adhikari said that the West Bengal Irrigation and Waterways Department will construct fencing along the 71 kilometer stretch of the river.

He said that his government will introduce ‘Seema Mitra’ award from 2027 for personnel of BSF, SSB and State Police in recognition of their exceptional work related to security of the country’s borders. He said a selection committee would be set up to decide the awardees from the forces.

Published – 8th November 2026 20:00 IST