Assam to raise new battalions as 2nd line of defence on border

The Assam government would raise two new battalions of the state police to be used as the “second line of defence” with the Border Security Force (BSF) for deployment along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced this while hoisting the national flag here on Saturday.

“We have already got the go-ahead from the Centre for raising the two battalions as a second line of defence in addition to the BSF in order to increase vigil along the Indo-Bangla border,” Gogoi said.

He also said that while his government was duty-bound to implement the various provisions of the Assam Accord (signed way back in 1985), he was also contemplating a legislation to prevent foreigners from acquiring land in the state.

“The government has also taken a decision to set up two detention camps on the Indo-Bangladesh border for those persons identified as Bangladeshi infiltrators so that they can be deported back to Bangladesh,” the Chief Minister said.

“Our government has already strengthened 91 km of barbed wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the past eight years. Work is on to complete the remaining portion of the border fence,” Gogoi said. The state government is also updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in order to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators, he added.