India keeping strict vigil along northeastern border

SHILLONG/AIZAWL - Indian forces are maintaining strict vigil along the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar in the northeastern region to check terrorist infiltration, union Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken has said.

“All-out efforts have been made to ensure that law and order in northeast India was not disturbed by anti-national elements and militants,” Maken told Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang in Shillong Wednesday night.

The minister, on a three-day visit to the state, said: “Central paramilitary troopers, including of the Border Security Force (BSF), have been directed to keep strict vigil along the northeast border with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.”

The chief minister called on Maken at Raj Bhavan and apprised him of the law and order situation in the state.

“The (law and order) situation in Meghalaya is by and large very peaceful,” an official statement said. quoting Lapang’s briefing to the union minister.

Four northeastern states - Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam - share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh, while India and Bhutan share a 643-km unfenced border.

Meanwhile, Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana Thursday said the state government would take stringent action against insurgents and other criminal elements, especially those coming from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The mountainous state has a 404-km long international border with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh.

“The Hmar People’s Convention (Democrats), a separatist outfit, operating in Manipur, would not be allowed to indulge in unlawful activities on Mizoram soil,” Lalzirliana told reporters in Aizawl.

“Security forces have booked some people, including Myanmarese nationals, who had helped the Hmar insurgents to extort money from the people living in the border areas,” the minister said.

He said that many ethnic Mizos coming from Myanmar are also involved in drug trafficking and other crimes like murder, kidnapping, rape and robbery.

“Foreigners and arms acts would be strictly enforced against those committing crime in Mizoram. The foreign nationals would be deported en-masse if they continue illegal activities,” Lalzirliana added.

According to a senior official, Mizoram police arrested 367 Myanmarese nationals and 162 of them have been deported to Myanmar last year.

“Out of the 162 deported Myanmarese nationals, 33 were indicted in narcotics trafficking cases,” the official said.