Shillong: Security forces in the State have been put on alert ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebration in the state.
Special police teams have been deputed in vulnerable areas and important government installations, a senior police official told PTI.
“We have requested our counterparts at the border to look out for any sign of militants trying to cross over,” he said.
Last month, militants opened fire at a police station in the heart of the city and there was an exchange of fire with the police in the Jaintia Hills district.
The BSF is deploying approximately 10,000 personnel an observing an ‘Ops Alert’ between August 6 and 20 along the 498 kilometre international border with Bangladesh, most of which is unfenced, with difficult terrain and riverine in nature.
“We have received specific inputs from the police that certain militants like the HNLC are trying to sneak into Meghalaya and create problems during the celebration,” Sudesh Kumar, IG BSF, Meghalaya Frontier told reporters here.
“We picked up a few militants last year while they were trying to cross over to Meghalaya ahead of Independence Day. I think the same would be their effort this year too,” he said.
The BSF state chief however said, “No cross-over has taken place so far.” (PTI)