TURA, Dec 20?In view of the Bhutan offensive against the ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants, and the likely attempt by the fleeing militants to enter West Garo Hills before crossing into Bangladesh, the entire border of Garo Hills with Assam has been sealed. Night curfew has been imposed in the bordering areas of Tikrikilla extending upto Goalpara in Assam, and the military-infested areas of Bajendoba and Pedaldoba in East Garo Hills. Two companies of the army are already inside the Garo Hills assisting three companies of the CRPF and the Garo Hills Police in sealing the Assam Garo Hills border. An additional one company of the army is across in Assam assisting them. The BSF is patrolling the river Brahmaputra and Tinjiram on boats.
Meanwhile, police and intelligence agencies have refuted claims by a section of the media that a large number of ULFA militants had sneaked into Phulbari area of Garo Hills shortly after the Bhutan operation began. Although Phulbari and Tikrikilla are areas used by these militants there is a strong army and para-military presence in the area. Also, fleeing militants will require a minimum of two weeks. before they can arrive from Bhutan.
With the Bhutan border sealed and a heavy presence of the army in the area militants attempting to cross will require to travel during the night. NDFB and ULFA militants who have surrendered or been nabbed by the Garo Hills Police in recent past have all stated the immense time taken to cross from Bhutan into Garo Hills. The biggest fear now is that both the ULFA and the NDFB militants will strengthen their camps in Bangladesh and will see Garo Hills as the most viable crossing point to and from Bangladesh and Assam. Despite four battalions of the BSF guarding the Indo-Bangla border in Garo Hills, vast areas continue to remain porous giving opportunities for anti-India elements.