Amidst unrest in Bangladesh, tight security measures for peaceful celebration of Independence Day

Amidst unrest in neighbouring Bangladesh and continuous infiltration from the violence-hit country into Tripura, which remained unabated, massive security arrangements have been made across Tripura including strong vigil in border for peaceful observance of Independence Day on Thursday, despite no specific security threat for Tripura, but being confronted by the security concerns in bordering areas, Tripura police is maintaining its alert position.

Amidst a slew of reports regarding increased infiltration activities from neighbouring country and amidst political unrest and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, the state police are taking all measures to prevent any violence on Independence Day, while special measures have also been taken to tackle growing incidents of infiltration with strong vigil across the border.

Though some insurgent groups of Northeast had issued their boycott calls for I-Day, but so far no such boycott calls for Tripura has been issued by any insurgent groups.

Speaking with Northeast Herald, AIG (Law and Order) Ananta Das said that so far state police does not have any information over shutdown call by few insurgent groups of Northeast had on the day of Independence, but there are activities  from cross-border criminal  groups ,camped in neighbouring Bangladesh and they through their criminal activities trying for infiltration and smuggling  But, police and BSF along with other security forces are continuously maintaining the top standard of security to contain any kind cross border criminal activities.

The state police are continuously keeping in touch with BSF authorities and holding meetings with top authorities of BSF to strengthen their surveillance in the entire border area for the peaceful celebration of Independence Day. He added that BSF has also been alerted to ensure that under-ground rebels and other miscreants do not enter Indian territory through the Tripura border with Bangladesh.

Das said that all the security forces including Central Arms Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed during Gram Panchayat elections are also kept in deployment till the peaceful observance of Independence Day celebration.

However, as normal security arrangements before the celebrations of I-Day, all interior police stations are now conducting raids in once militant infested areas and all police stations of the state have been ordered to maintain extra alert in their respective areas. Search operations have also been intensified in some specific areas of the state during the period of the past few days, said Das.

All the urban police stations of the state have also been conducting search operations in all busy market places, rail stations and railway tracks in Tripura, bus stands, airport and hotels. Police have also pressed into action dog and bomb squads in Agartala including rail stations and railway tracks and other places of the state that would continue up to peaceful observance of I-day on August 15 next.

While, police sources said that as normal precaution, Central intelligence wings and the MHA have issued general alert for all the Northeastern states to keep a strict vigil in the run-up to Independence Day and prevent any attempt of sabotage, specially in border areas.

Police sources added that all TSR battalions were asked to conduct special operations in their respective areas along with counter-insurgency (CI) operations in all interior areas and they already started their operations.

The checking of all vehicular movements in different gates (Naka point) across the state has also been started and police along with other security forces are taking constant vigil on the movements of all vehicles, said police.

While, BSF sources in Tripura Frontier said vigil and patrolling intensified to prevent movement of anti-national elements. Instructions have been given to the commanders to ensure that there is zero infiltration.

All precautions like regular checking of vehicles and increased security in guarding vital installations have been taken. Security has also been stepped up at the civil secretariat, Agartala airport and Raj Bhavan besides the residences of ministers and VIPs as normal procedures, said police.

In a separate directive, the director general of Civil Aviation has asked airport authorities to tighten the vigil in and around all airports in Northeastern states and CISF has been put on high alert.