Assam asks for forest battalion camp inside border forest

TEZPUR: Assam government has asked the Forest Department to set up a forest battalion camp inside the Behali Reserve Forest to prevent recurring violence along the border with Arunachal Pradesh.

Leading a delegation yesterday comprising top officials of the state government to the violence site, where one person was killed earlier this month, Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia said the camp should be set up as soon as possible to avoid repeat of any violent incident in the area.

The Chief Secretary was accompanied by the Director General of Police Khagen Sarma and Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Political) M G V K Bhanu among others.

The team visited the disputed areas in the Behali Reserve Forest along the Assam-Arunachal border and took stock of the situation arising out of the recent killings allegedly carried out by miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh.

Earlier this month, a villager was allegedly killed by unidentified people from Arunachal Pradesh at Behali forest in Assam's Sonitpur district and the incident led to violent protest with locals blocking NH-15, where they set ablaze a vehicle from the neighbouring state.

Pipersenia and other officials discussed the security scenario with local officials and directed them to ensure safety of the Reserved Forest and the people residing there.

Later, the team met representatives of several local organisations and discussed the problems being faced by local people near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.