 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a high-level conference of Superintendents of Police (SPs) from border districts across the country to review the security situation along India's international borders and formulate strategies to counter emerging security challenges, including infiltration, illegal immigration, drone threats and narcotics trafficking.
The conference brought together SPs from border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and the northeastern states, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and other security agencies.
The meeting assumes significance amid the Centre's intensified drive against illegal immigration, particularly along the country's eastern international borders, where the government has repeatedly expressed concern over organised cross-border infiltration and unauthorised migration. According to official assessments, such activities pose not only security challenges but are also believed to have contributed to demographic changes in several border districts.
Sources said the conference is reviewing the existing border security architecture, the role of district police in intelligence gathering, and coordination among state police forces, central armed police forces, and intelligence agencies. Deliberations are also focused on strengthening surveillance, improving information-sharing mechanisms and enhancing law enforcement in vulnerable border areas.
Illegal immigration, cross-border infiltration, narco-smuggling, the increasing use of drones for transporting arms, ammunition and narcotics, human trafficking, and the activities of organised criminal networks are among the key issues being discussed. The participants are also expected to deliberate on measures to strengthen policing in border districts and improve the detection and dismantling of illegal support networks facilitating such activities.
The conference comes against the backdrop of the Centre's decision, taken a few months ago, to constitute a high-level committee to examine demographic changes in different parts of the country and identify the factors responsible for such shifts. The committee was tasked with assessing the impact of illegal immigration and recommending measures to address emerging demographic and security concerns.
Officials said the Home Minister is expected to stress the need for greater synergy between district police, the Border Security Force (BSF), the Assam Rifles, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), intelligence agencies and civil administration to ensure effective border management and timely sharing of intelligence inputs.
The deliberations are also expected to focus on strengthening surveillance infrastructure, enhancing the use of technology in border policing, curbing cross-border criminal activities and ensuring a coordinated response to evolving security threats along India's land borders.
The conference is part of the Centre's broader strategy to reinforce the country's border management framework and ensure that border districts remain resilient against both conventional and non-conventional security challenges. |
