GUWAHATI, May 9 – The river police force, set up in 1979 to check illegal infiltration from across the border, to check crimes and to prevent smuggling, has not been able to perform as per the expectations due to years of neglect by successive Governments, while, a proposal for setting up a full fledged battalion of river police is pending before the Government of India. Assam has more than 247 kilometre of international border with Bangladesh, of which 110 kilometre is riverine border. Of the riverine international border, 46 kilometre is in Dhubri district, 41 kilometre in Karimganj district and 23 kilometre in Cachar district. It is primarily the job of the Border Security Force (BSF) to deal with the international border, but the river police force, if properly equipped, can play a vital role in checking the infiltrators and smugglers who manage to sneak past the BSF. The river police force can also play a vital role in checking the chars, along the riverine international border to detect fresh migrants, but under the present circumstances, it is difficult for the force to do so as the chars are mostly dominated by persons belonging to the religious minority groups and policemen always face resistance whenever they try to check the identity of the people. “Only when there is some dispute between the old and new settlers, the police get cooperation from the char people,” Border Police sources said today.
Over the years, successive State Governments failed to equip the river police to perform its assigned tasks properly and at present, the force has only four police stations – Pancharatna, Sualkuchi, Tezpur and Biswanath Ghat. The Pancharatna station has four outposts under its jurisdiction – Chandardinga, Mozarlaga, Mahamaya and Aye, while, the Sualkuchi station has three outposts – Nagarbera, Pandu and Beki. Though Karimganj and Cachar districts have long stretches of international riverine border, till date, no police station of the force has been set up in the districts to check influx and smuggling from across the border.
Police sources disclosed that so far, even the sanctioned posts of the river police force have not been filled up, not to speak of strengthening the force. Sources pointed out that the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police and the technical staff including Assistant Engineer, were never filled up. As per the sanctioned list, the river police force should have three inspectors, nine sub inspectors, 12 ASIs and 104 constables but at present, it has only one inspector, seven SIs, 10 ASIs and 84 constables. The present strength is not at all adequate to carry out the tasks of checking influx, smuggling and crime.
Sources said that the Border Police submitted a proposal to the State Government for creating a full-fledged battalion of river police so that its personnel can be deployed all along the riverine international border. The State Government, in turn, forwarded the proposal to the Central Government and it is now pending at Delhi.
Despite the hardships, the river police force registered 76 cases in 1998, 68 in 1999, 71 in 2000, 103 in 2001 and 92 cases were registered last year. However, sources said that the force can do much better if steps are taken to fully equip it. Shortage of boats still remains a serious problem for the force and very often the personnel have to depend on hired boats. But the positive sign is that process is on to acquire 20 steel boats – 10 big and 10 small – for the force from the Central Government’s scheme to modernise the State Police force.
Meanwhile, the process of deployment of the second line of defence behind the BSF to check influx is also on. As per the original proposal, 28 border outposts of the second line is to be set up and so far personnel of the force have been posted in eight BOPs – four in Dhubri district and four in Karimganj. Each post, headed by one sub-inspector has 30 personnel including ex-servicemen.