BSF to install 5,500 CCTV cameras at Bangladesh, Pakistan borders

India's Border Security Force will install 5,500 security cameras, and buy drones and other monitoring gadgets for surveillance at the country's borders along Bangladesh and Pakistan.

BSF Director General Pankaj Kumar Singh disclosed this at the force's annual press conference in New Delhi yesterday.

He said the Indian government sanctioned a fund of Rs 30 crore to buy surveillance cameras, drones and other monitoring gadgets for the BSF personnel guarding the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The BSF director general further said that instances of use of lethal weapons to check crimes along India's border with Bangladesh has come down significantly but criminals are taking advantage of it.

He said the security situation along the Bangladesh border was good but the issue of infiltration by people who come into India without documents remains.

"There are continuous instances of smuggling of drugs and weapons along with some small items on this front [Bangladesh front] but overall things have been good.

"The use of lethal power [weapons] has been drastically down here [India-Bangladesh border] but the flip side is that the criminals know this and they take liberty by attacking our troops. However, the troops are authorised to use lethal weapons in such situations," the BSF chief said.

He said the Indian government "has sanctioned more non-lethal weapons to us for this front [Bangladesh front]."

Bangladesh has repeatedly voiced concerns over the killing of its nationals along the border with India.