Heightened Security Measures Implemented Along the Tripura-Mizoram-Bangladesh Border Due to Militant Activity Reports

Agartala/Aizawl, Jan 3 (NationPress) Security forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), are currently on high alert following reports of militant movements from Bangladesh across the Tripura and Mizoram borders, according to officials on Friday.

Tripura shares an 856 km border with Bangladesh, while Mizoram has a 318 km border.

Out of the 856 km International Border of Tripura, approximately 26.64 km remains unfenced, and the entire frontier of Mizoram is unfenced.

A senior police official indicated that there have been reports of militants moving along the porous border that connects Tripura, Mizoram, and Bangladesh, prompting heightened alertness from the security forces, including the BSF stationed in the mountainous areas.

“Following these reports, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) Krishnendu Chakraborty recently visited Unakoti and North Tripura districts to conduct a series of discussions with the security personnel deployed in these regions,” the official informed IANS.

Officials from both the BSF and the state police stated that since the unrest began in Bangladesh in July and the collapse of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, vigilance along the India-Bangladesh border has been intensified to deter any form of cross-border infiltration by militants, smugglers, and infiltrators.

Reports indicated that although many militants, primarily from Bangladesh, surrendered to the Tripura government in September last year, a number of extremists based in northeast India are still hiding in Bangladesh.

On September 24, a total of 584 extremists from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) surrendered and handed over a significant cache of weapons and ammunition to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha during a surrender ceremony at the headquarters of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) seventh battalion in Sepahijala district.

The militants surrendered following the signing of a peace agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in Delhi on September 4, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister, other political figures, and officials from the MHA and Tripura government.

A BSF spokesperson stated that the troops stationed along the borders are employing various devices and trained dogs to enhance their surveillance, while senior BSF officials frequently inspect the border to ensure effective monitoring.

In light of the current situation in the neighboring country, former Tripura Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha member Biplab Kumar Deb recently urged Amit Shah to expedite the completion of fencing along the remaining segments and strengthen surveillance along the border.

Deb, who is part of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs, wrote to Shah stating that while proactive measures taken by the Central government have curtailed infiltration, it seems essential to bolster the strength of the BSF for improved border security and to mitigate any potential adverse effects from the situation in Bangladesh on Tripura.

He advised Amit Shah: “With the current turmoil in law and order in Bangladesh, there is a risk that certain vested interests may exploit the porous border.”