Strict vigil along northeastern border: Minister

SHILLONG/AIZAWL - Indian forces are maintaining a strict vigil along the international border with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar in the northeast region to check trans-border movement of terrorists, 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 during a meeting in Shillong Wednesday night.

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

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

“The (law and order) situation in bordering 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 separatists 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.