GUWAHATI, Dec 16 ? Army personnel have been deployed all along the West Bengal-Bhutan border to prevent the militants from sneaking into the State in view of the Bhutan Army operations in the neighbouring country. Security sources in North Bengal told this correspondent that though the Army was not operating in West Bengal, Army personnel were posted all along the international boundary from the night of December 14, hours before the Bhutan Army launched the offensive against the militant outfits in the country. West Bengal has about 200 kilometres of border with Bhutan and the entire border has been sealed to prevent the militants from sneaking into the State.
Sources said that according to information available with the security forces, three militant outfits, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) have camps side by side just beyond the international boundary and the Bhutan Army has launched simultaneous operations in all the camps located in Kalikhola and Buka areas in Bhutan. There were reports of casualties of militants in the continuing offensive but the security forces are not sure of the exact number casualties.
It may be mentioned here that the North Bengal area became a hotbed of militant activities in recent years, posing a grave security threat, not only to West Bengal, but also to the entire north-eastern region. Security sources said that the ULFA and the NDFB maintain a cordial relation with the KLO for tactical reasons and use the North Bengal corridor for shelter taking advantage of absence of Army operation in the area. Sources said that the militants also used the North Bengal corridor as transit route to Bangladesh from their camps in Bhutan. Sources revealed that the NDFB was involved in a bank robbery a few years back, while the ULFA also launched a few operations along with the KLO in the North Bengal area, but of late these outfits have refrained from operating in the area.
Our Kokrajhar Correspondent adds: After the military action initiated by the Royal Government of Bhutan to force closure of unauthorised camps belonging to the banned ULFA, NDFB and KLO outfits, Army, CRPF and other security forces are on high alert in lower Assam districts to stop possible infiltration of the militants from Bhutan camps.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Superintendent of Police Sri Vijay Krishna said that additional forces had been deployed along the Indo-Bhutan border areas where patrolling had been intensified.
Our Nalbari Correspondent adds: The Nalbari district administration has declared a red alert in the entire Indo-Bhutan border areas falling in Nalbari district and restricted the movement of all civilians in order to check the infiltration of militants into the district following the Bhutan Royal Government?s move to flush out the militants from their territory. The administration has deployed additional companies of Army, BSF and CRPF personnel in the bordering areas from Guwahati to Thamna and sealed all the routes to the district.
The Superintendent of Police Dr Sarat Kumar Phukan told this correspondent that the paramilitary forces are on high alert at Makaldaba, Saragpur, Patkizuli, Nikachi and Guwabari areas. The sensitive Pagladia river route is also being patrolled by one company each of Army, BSF and CRPF.