Prior to vote counting, vigil up along border areas in state

Silchar/ Dhubri/Guwahati: Ahead of vote counting, authorities across border districts in Assam have imposed prohibitory orders and stepped up multi-layered security to ensure a smooth and incident-free process.In Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar districts, where there are six assembly constituencies, the BSF has intensified surveillance, as five constituencies share an international border with Bangladesh. Security has also been tightened in districts along the Bhutan border.According to govt data, the Assam–Bhutan boundary stretches 265.8 km, while the Assam–Bangladesh border is about 263 km long.In Sribhumi district, which borders Bangladesh, counting for four constituencies will be held at the Karimganj College. The district administration has imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023. Similar curbs are in place in Cachar and Hailakandi. Officials said restrictions will remain from 5 am on the counting day until the process concludes.In lower Assam districts bordering Bhutan, the SSB and state police are on alert. Tamulpur DC Simi Karan said, “We are not going to close the border for counting day, but we have requested SSB and police to deploy additional staff and conduct thorough checking on counting day.”In western Assam, a source in the Golokganj sector headquarters said, “Round-the-clock vigilance along the border continues as part of standard protocol.”Babul Roy, Assam state president of Seemant Chetana Manch and a resident of Satrasal border village, said both BSF and state police have increased patrols in border villages under Agomoni police station, including Bamandanga, Kherbari, Bouserkuti and Rongpagli. “We held a meeting of Chetana Manch and reviewed the border village security situation on Friday. We need strict vigil along the inter-state border with West Bengal as the winning party sometimes attacks the opposing party’s workers and supporters, leading them to take shelter here in these villages of Assam,” Roy added.