New Delhi: In a major development, the Home Ministry has approved the deployment of two more units of Assam Rifles (AR) to Jammu & Kashmir taking the total deployment of the force in Jammu & Kashmir up to four.
Last year, the Home Ministry deployed two units consisting of atleast 2400 personnel of the AR to Jammu & Kashmir. The decision was taken following an uprising of terror-related activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
Shocked over the uprising of terror-related incidents in Jammu & Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah has recently asked the security agencies to look into the strategic deployment of the security forces. The Assam Rifles has also started biometric registration of Myanmar nationals coming into India.
“The process that has been started since December last resulted in the limited entry of 7,000 foreign nationals into India,” a senior Assam Rifles official said. “We have started biometric registration of all people coming from Myanmar that helped us to keep a check on the movements of even anti-national elements,” the official said.
The Assam Rifles has started the biometric registration process in 22 entry and exit points along the India-Myanmar border. The process of making biometric registration of all people coming into India or going to Myanmar has been started ever since the Ministry of Home Affairs has revised the policy of Free Movement Regime (FMR).
Under new guidelines of the Home Ministry, people on both sides of the border can visit upto 10 km from the border of both countries. “The initiative helped us to keep a check on illegal entry of the people,” the official added. On many occasions, security agencies pouted towards the involvement of external forces into Manipur violence.
The Assam Rifles have been guarding the entire stretch of the India-Myanmar border. Meanwhile, the Assam Rifles is organising Unity Utsav, a five-day festival marking the sportsmanship and cultural heritage of Northeast India. The event is being organised in collaboration with the North East Association Social Welfare.
“Unity Utsav will bring together over 1,000 students from all eight Northeastern states, showcasing their talent and fostering a spirit of unity and national pride,” said Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, Director General of Assam Rifles. Under the theme ‘One Voice, One Nation,’ the event will take place in Delhi from February 15 to 20.
The event will culminate in a spectacular cultural evening on February 20, featuring traditional music, dance, and performances by students from the region. “This vibrant showcase will celebrate the Northeast’s rich heritage and diverse traditions,” Lt Gen Lakhera said. Unity Utsav aims to strengthen national identity through sports and culture, emphasising the power of unity in diversity, the Assam Rifles DG said.
