Meghalaya imposes night curfew, 3 other northeastern states step up border vigil

SHILLONG/AIZAWL/AGARTALA: Meghalaya on Monday imposed a night curfew along its border with Bangladesh to enhance security measures and prevent any potential spillover effects from the neighbouring country.
Three other northeastern states - Tripura, Mizoram and Assam, which also share the international boundary with Bangladesh, tightened security along the border.
Of the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border, 856km is shared by Tripura, 443km by Meghalaya, 318km by Mizoram and 262km by Assam in the NE region, while the remaining 2,217km of the border is shared by West Bengal.
Meghalaya deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong said, "We have decided to impose a curfew all along the international border with Bangladesh from tonight itself and it will be implemented only up to 200 metres inside the Indian territory from the border pillar from 6pm to 6am every day till the situation improves. The govt will take further decision on the imposition of this curfew."
This decision was taken at a meeting called by the deputy CM shortly after the situation emerged in Bangladesh. Prestone chaired the meeting with BSF officials, the DGP, the chief secretary and state home department officials.
The additional director general of BSF, Ravi Gandhi, said, "We have taken a slew of measures to secure the border. Additional forces have been rushed in to further strengthen the border and the state police are in the second border. We have further strengthened the intelligence set-up and there is a lot of intelligence sharing with several intelligence agencies and the state police in the region. We are in touch with our counterpart BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) and our surveillance grid has also strengthened."
Assam puts 4 districts on high alert, says international border with Bangladesh highly porous
We are not allowing any person to cross the border. It will be only through valid passport that they can enter India," he added. Mizoram govt has also stepped up security along the 318km long international border with Bangladesh in view of the prevailing situation in the neighbouring country. Lalbiakthanga Khiangte, IGP (law and order), told TOI on Monday that elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure that the political upheaval resulting in widespread violence in Bangladesh does not spill over to the state.
The BSF deployed in Tripura has tightened its vigil along the borders with Bangladesh following reports of a significant influx in various parts of the state after the Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina, left the country and the army took over the govt on Monday afternoon.
"We are closely monitoring the border, which is semi-porous and has many unfenced areas. In response to an alert from the Centre due to the current situation in the neighbouring country, we have increased our security presence," the BSF official said.
Assam also issued a "high alert" in all its four districts - Karimganj, Cachar, Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar - which share the international border with Bangladesh.
An official added that the state govt is also closely monitoring the integrated check posts at Sutarkandi in Assam.