Concerned over the increasing misuse of SIM cards from neighbouring countries in border areas, intelligence agencies have written to states sharing borders with Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh to launch massive drive to counter this menace. In a note sent out last week, the agencies have cautioned that “militant groups, smugglers and criminal cartels active in the border areas continue to use SIM cards from other countries in large numbers.’’
The directive has been sent to states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttrakhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat and the Northeast. Highly-placed sources said the situation was particularly severe in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the Northeast.
Though no immediate reason has been stated in the note, intelligence sources said they have taken serious note of recovery of Pakistani SIM card from a LeT militant in Kashmir Valley recently. Further investigations into the case revealed that he had been using this Pakistani SIM card while operating in India in areas along the LoC and the International Border (IB).
In fact, it is also learnt that during the recent smashing of Darbhanga module of the Indian Mujahideen, its kingpin Yaseen Bhatkal was found to be using a SIM card issued from Nepal while travelling in areas adjoining the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar and Nepal. Bhatkal spent considerable time in this region while recruiting young men for his terror outfit.
Even though intelligence agencies have been trying to upgrade their technical surveillance, officials admit that it was still very difficult to track cell phones with SIM cards from neighbouring countries and majority of such numbers are still not on their radar. The vexed issue of regulating the frequency of mobile towers of neighbouring countries, so as not to cover areas in India, has been taken up on a regular basis during various Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh but nothing has been done so far.
“Subversive elements are taking full advantage of the fact that areas in India catch the frequency of mobile networks of adjoining countries. Though some such numbers are under scanner but technologically also it is extremely difficult to track them consistently,’’ a senior security official remarked.