Agartala, Sep 27 (IANS) Ahead of the five-day-long Durga Puja festivities beginning Sunday, heavy security arrangements have been put in place along Tripura’s 856-km border with Bangladesh, officials said on Saturday.

Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag said a series of meetings had been held with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other security agencies to further intensify vigil along the India–Bangladesh border.

“BSF authorities have assured us that they will further strengthen security and vigilance along the border so that no untoward incident occurs in the villages along the frontiers and to prevent cross-border movement of inimical elements. BSF troops will also increase their patrolling both during the day and at night,” the DGP told IANS.

Tripura, which has an 856 km border with Bangladesh, is surrounded on three sides by the neighbouring country, making the Northeastern state very vulnerable and sensitive to cross-border migration, crimes and movement issues.

Except for some patches, most of the frontier had been fenced to prevent smuggling, trans-border crimes, cross-border illegal movements by infiltrators and inimical elements.

Chief Minister Manik Saha recently held meetings with the senior security officials of different agencies, including BSF, and requested the officials in the state to maintain close coordination among them to deal with the border-related issues.

He added that the para-military troops (BSF) have enhanced vigil and intensified domination along the International Border since the violence in Bangladesh began in June-July last year, especially after the fall of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024.

Tripura Chief Minister and other ruling party leaders have already inaugurated numerous Durga Puja pandals across the state.

According to Tripura police chief Anurag, in the state, around 3,000 community pujas, up from 2,750 in 2024, are being organised this year.

Among the state’s eight districts, in West Tripura, 775 community pujas are being organised this year. Besides the community pujas, a large number of Durga Pujas are being held in the homes and premises of affluent families.

With the deployment of the additional 8,000 police and other forces, security has been beefed up in Tripura to ensure the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja.

Over 400 women police personnel and a large number of plainclothes security personnel will also assist other security agencies in ensuring the festivities remain incident-free and peaceful.

DGP Anurag said that a large number of CCTV cameras and watchtowers have been installed at important, sensitive, mixed-populated, possibly crowded locations and big-budget pujas to manage the pandal hoppers and other crowds.

Vigil along the India-Bangladesh borders with Assam and Tripura has been further tightened, and the state authorities have asked the BSF to maintain a strict vigil along the international border to foil any infiltration attempt and cross-border movement of inimical elements, he added.

–IANS

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