India's Border Security Force (BSF), the paramilitary force manning the border with Bangladesh, has rejected rumours that it stopped a caravan of Bangladeshi Hindus escaping the country in view of reports of widespread violence against the minority community by radical Islamist mobs.
"Contrary to rumors, there is no widespread movement of the minority population from Bangladesh. Gatherings were due to local unrest fears. BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) are actively reassuring and helping individuals return to their homes," the BSF North Bengal Frontier said in a statement around midnight on Thursday.
The BSF had been able to effectively manage the gatherings of "Bangladeshi nationals" near the border, it reported.
"With vigilance and coordination with BGB, they ensured safety and prevented any border breaches," the Indian paramilitary force stated.
On Wednesday, several videos doing the rounds of social media showed a large mob of people trying to cross into India from Bangladesh through the border stretch located in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district. Several social media handles claimed that these were Hindus fleeing attacks in Bangladesh.
Experts in Bangladesh suggest that a surge in violence directed at Hindus was primarily due to the notion that they backed the secular Awami League and were seen as being close to India.
New Delhi has expressed deep concerns over the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh following Hasina's ouster.
"We are also monitoring the situation with regard to the status of minorities (in Bangladesh). There are reports of initiatives by various groups and organizations to ensure their protection and well-being. We welcome that, but will naturally remain deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored," Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar briefed the Indian Parliament on Tuesday.
Jaishankar stressed that Indian border guards have been instructed to be "exceptionally alert" in view of this complex situation, amid fears of infiltration of undocumented migrants into India.