Security tightened ahead of Assembly Polls in Meghalaya and Nagaland

Shillong: The Security grip in Nagaland and Meghalaya has been tightened ahead of Assembly Polls in these states.

Ninety-one companies of paramilitary troopers have been deployed across Meghalaya.

Of the 2,485 polling stations,  900 have been identified as hypertensive – 355 of these are in insurgency-hit areas and 32 have been tagged likewise for “intense political rivalry”.

BSF has stepped up patrolling along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya following the 36-hour shutdown called by outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) as part of the militant outfit’s boycott of the February 23 assembly polls.

“We have put our troopers on high alert all along the Bangladesh border to prevent possible infiltration of HNLC rebels into Meghalaya to disrupt the assembly elections,” Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman Ravi Gandhi told IANS.

Of the 498 km border that Meghalaya shares with Bangladesh, 215.196 km have been fenced so far and work along the remaining stretch is in progress.

Gandhi said the BSF is in touch with its Bangladesh counterpart to thwart attempt of any HNLC rebels to infiltrate during the elections.