By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, going all out against the Maoists, Meghalaya will remain on high alert to thwart any incidents even though the State is unlikely to be directly affected.
Meghalaya DGP, N Ramchandran, said, “Our borders are well guarded by the police and the BSF and even if the Maoists come through the international border, we will remain on alert to thwart that kind of a possibility. But this is an unduly concern.”
On the implausible possibility of Maoists entering the State, the DGP further said, “This is unlikely since outsiders can be easily spotted here and they cannot easily mingle.”
Ramachandran, however, expressed his concern about the border fencing with neighbouring Bangladesh which is not yet sealed completely which makes it difficult to control trans-border movements and other criminal activities.
The DGP also dismissed any likelihood of tie-ups between the Maoists and the extremist groups in the State, saying, “Basically the main motive of the local extremist groups is to collect money and one organization does not allow any other to come and join it or else it will lead to turf war.”
The DGP also said that the militants organization in the region have a tie-up among themselves in carrying out operation in collecting money.
He also said that militant outfits in the State such as those in Garo Hills are instigated by other militant organization from the region, “The money thus collected by these organizations ultimately goes to the parent organization and a minuscule amount is kept by the collecting organization.” However, the DGP said that the State Police are always in touch with the BSF and other security agencies.
Meanwhile, a BSF official said that Maoists are well established in Assam and in the past their cadres had been apprehended from there. “But in Meghalaya they have no base or support and they don’t have any link with neighboring Bangladesh,” the official claimed.