GUWAHATI: At least 100 companies of the Army and over 50 from the central paramilitary forces, in addition to the existing Assam Police personnel, are going to maintain law and order on Lok Sabha polls counting day and thereafter in Assam.
The water-tight security arrangement comes in the wake of intelligence reports warning Assam Police of a possible repetition of violence in the state like what happened in the BTAD recently.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Assam Police chief Khagen Sarma said the state police have decided to engage most of its personnel in maintaining law and order in the state. "Besides 100 companies from the Army, we are expecting 25 to 30 additional companies of central paramilitary forces shortly. Some 34 companies of central forces are already stationed in the BTAD areas. At least 60 Assam Police officers from the rank of DSP to addl DGP have been deployed for maintaining law and order across the state. All active home guards and village defense parties have been alerted. Moreover, SSB and BSF are keeping a close watch on the India-Bhutan and India-Bangladesh borders to check trespassing of militants," added the Assam Police chief.
Following the recent violence in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), Assam Police have already set up over 125 permanent police pickets in the four districts of BTAD and are eyeing 50 more. "At present, there are 63 police pickets in Kokrajhar, 39 in Chirang, 20 in Baksa and 11 in Udalguri district. There are 50 mobile police pickets in the four districts and we will set them up permanently within June this year," he added. Normally, there are 10-12 police personnel in each police picket.
Sarma added that Assam Police have already identified vulnerable areas in BTAD where religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities face a threat. He said they are going to arrange full security in these areas within July this year.
He added that the IK Songbijit-led National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB-S) has perpetrated the mayhem.
'Protect violence-hit children of Assam'
New Delhi, May 14 (IANS): An NGO working for child rights Wednesday urged the government to provide protection to about 800 children in Assam affected by violence and living in relief camps. "We urge the Assam government to take urgent steps to ensure that children who have been orphaned are staying in a place of safety with their relatives and only when there is no other recourse, should these children be sent to children's homes," said a statement from NGO Save the Children.
According to the NGO nearly 800 children are currently taking shelter along with their families in tents of different relief-camp in Kokrajhar and Baksa districts of Assam. Violence erupted in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) May 1 and 2, when armed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) cadres attacked villages in Baksa and Kokrajhar districts killing at least 37 people.
Further, of 169 children in a particular camp, 64 are between 0-6 years of age and many of them have already lost their parents. "The government should also ensure children affected by the mindless violence are able to continue their studies in an environment of safety and care, and that the children living in the camps are provided with psycho-social counselling along with safe drinking water and nutritious food," added the statement.
