The war of words between India and Bangladesh over the issue of illegal immigration has increased.

The fifth round of talks between the Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles to resolve the deadlock over 213 people stranded at the Indo-Bangla border broke down on Monday.

Despite documentary evidence supplied by BSF Deputy Inspector General P P Gupta, the BDR, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ashfaqul Islam, refused to accept that the immigrants were Bangladeshis. The immigrants, who gave the documents to the BSF, claimed that they were Bangladeshis.

Besides asking for their passports, the BDR didn't allow Bangladeshi journalists to speak to the immigrants.

Tired of the continuing standoff, the immigrants tried to force their way into Bangladesh. This led to a minor scuffle between them and the BDR personnel.

They were eventually sent back to their earlier position near the 'Zero Point'. The group has 80 children, 65 women and 68 men.

Unconfirmed reports also said that there was an exchange of fire between the border troops.

In New Delhi Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Tufail Karim and handed an aide memoire to him.

The envoy was told that the 213 people were Bangladeshis carrying proof of residence, an external affairs ministry spokesman said.

"The fact that they are not getting any humanitarian assistance is causing them a lot of problems," he said.

The BSF had intercepted them on January 31 while they were trying to cross into Indian territory at border post number 867/8-C in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

The two countries had agreed that 'persons apprehended in the process of inadvertently or deliberately crossing over the border will be accepted immediately based on the disclosures made by them'.

"However, where verification becomes necessary, the apprehended persons will be accepted within three days.

"The problem is illegal immigration. It must stop. Everything else one has been reading about is arising out of that."

The spokesman said that these people were coming from Lal Monirhut district in Bangladesh. "They are stranded on the zero line. They have to be accepted back.

"The question of any Indian citizen being pushed into Bangladesh is baseless. It is an absurd allegation.

"The BSF has a mandate that it has to protect the sanctity of India's borders. If there is any illegal immigration, it is duty bound to stop it."

With inputs from M Chhaya in Kolkata