Reported by: Mrinal Banik
Agartala: The Tripura government on Thursday directed the police and security forces to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards attacks on security personnel, smuggling and other illegal activities along the India-Bangladesh border, even as the Sonamura sub-divisional administration began demarcating land and verifying ownership documents near the Ashabari Border Outpost (BOP), three days after a clash between BSF personnel and local villagers.
At a high-level law and order review meeting at the TIFT Conference Hall in Agartala, Chief Minister Manik Saha said attacks on personnel performing security duties and attempts to take the law into one’s own hands would not be tolerated.
He also directed the police and the Border Security Force (BSF) to strengthen surveillance and coordination to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, director general of police, home secretary, BSF inspector general and senior officials of the Central Reserve Police Force and Assam Rifles.
The Ashabari incident, which took place on November 3, was reviewed in detail, including the investigation and action taken by the police. According to police sources, 10 of the 19 people named in the FIR have been arrested, while efforts are under way to apprehend the remaining accused.
Saha directed the authorities to identify everyone involved in the attack on BSF personnel and take legal action against them. He also called for closer coordination among the police, district administration and BSF, increased surveillance in sensitive border areas, deployment of additional forces wherever necessary and joint operations to curb cross-border crime.
Meanwhile, the Sonamura sub-divisional administration on Thursday launched a land demarcation and document verification exercise in the area adjoining the Ashabari BOP.
A joint team comprising BSF personnel, police and revenue officials, including revenue inspectors and tehsildars, visited the area following directions from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
Local sources said the exercise had caused concern among families and shopkeepers over the possibility of eviction if discrepancies were found in land records or if their properties were found to be on government land.
Several families and shopkeepers were reportedly asked to produce land deeds and other documents to establish ownership of the plots on which their houses and commercial establishments stand.
Preliminary information suggested that some occupants might not have valid ownership documents, while some families were allegedly living on government land.
The initial demarcation exercise was completed on Thursday, but the administration has not clarified what action would follow after verification of the documents.
Land records relating to shops locally identified as those of Faizal Haque, Azad Mia and Majumder, as well as residential properties associated with Kabir Hossain and Gias Uddin, were examined. Their ownership status has not been officially clarified.
The district administration said its drive to reclaim government land from encroachers had been under way for two months. During this period, government land at 42 locations in Sonamura subdivision and one location in Bishalgarh subdivision had been cleared.
The exercise also comes against the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s direction during his last visit to Tripura to monitor land purchases and transfers along the border.
Sources said the concern was to prevent people who had infiltrated from Bangladesh from registering land in their names.