Indian passport holders allowed to enter Assam from Bangladesh: DGP

Tinsukia: Assam DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Thursday said that all Indian passport holders will be allowed to return from trouble-torn Bangladesh through the designated entry point in the state, while others will not be allowed to sneak in.

While speaking to reporters after a law and order review meeting here, Singh said the Assam Police and Border Security Force will do everything possible to prevent any attempt by non-Indians to illegally enter the country.

"From our side, the direction is clear that we will not allow anyone to illegally enter Assam. Many students from Assam and other parts of India are studying in Bangladesh. During last month's disturbances, 78 students returned, of which 60 were from Assam and 18 were from different parts of India," he added.

Singh said this time too, direction has been issued that all Indian passport holders in Bangladesh will be allowed to return.

"However, no others will be allowed to enter and we will take action as per the law if anyone tries to enter (illegally)," he added.

Assam's Karimganj, Cachar, Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar districts share 267.5 km of international border with Bangladesh.

There is an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sutarkandi in Karimganj. Northeast has a total of three ICPs and the other two are at Dawki in Meghalaya and Akhaura in Tripura.

The DGP further said, "We have been monitoring the situation regularly since the last three days. After the development there (Bangladesh), we held a video conference with all the SPs of Assam and instructed them accordingly."

"We also had a video conference with the BSF in which the BSF DG, Union Home Secretary and other officials were present," he added.

The Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Assam government has also held a discussion with the DCs and SPs of the four Assam districts along with the BSF in presence of senior police officials, Singh said.

"The BSF is alert and along with it, Assam Police is alert as well as the second line of defence. BSF and Assam Police are carrying out joint patrolling along the international border," he added.

On August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh and left the country amid massive student protests that originated against a controversial job quota system.

Over 500 people, including police personnel, were killed across Bangladesh in the violence centring the students' movement.

Talking about the security review meeting, Singh said, "As per our information, there is a ULFA(I) group along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh areas. We discussed how to neutralise that group and asked all concerned to remain alert so that it cannot enter Assam to carry out any subversive activities." "Police, CAPF, Army and all intelligence agencies have been briefed. Our attempt is to prevent any acts by the group inside Assam," he said.

Singh said that Assam is on a path of peace and appealed to ULFA(I) not to destroy this atmosphere.

"If someone has any grievance, then they can talk to the government. But it is not proper to kill innocent people. We are alert and will take all possible actions to stop it," Singh said.

The meeting was attended by senior security officials from Assam Police, Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).