New Delhi, April 10 Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to stop all the cross-border movement across the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders amid COVID-19 outbreak.
The Minister also instructed BSF to increase the vigil on border areas specifically where there is no fencing to avoid any cross border entry considering the spectre of coronavirus spread.
The direction came in view of movements of some anti-national elements like drug peddlers, terrorists and smugglers across the 3,323 km India-Pakistan and 4,096 km India Bangladesh borders.
Reviewing border security on Thursday as part of precautionary measures to avoid the spread of the deadly virus through India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Home Minister asked the BSF to "increase the vigilance on border areas specifically in those areas where there is no fencing".
"The Home Minister also instructed to stop cross border movements. He also suggested to make villagers and farmers aware about the Covid-19. He also directed the district authorities to ensure that no one inadvertently crossed the border," a Home Ministry official said.
The BSF is mandated to guard India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders and the Home Minister's direction to it is part of measures to break the chain of the transmission of the virus which so far has claimed 199 lives and infected over 5,700 people across the country.
( With inputs from IANS )