Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday appealed to those living along the Indo-Bangla border to patrol the area. He said the locals should undertake ‘janata patrolling’ to ensure no people from Bangladesh cross the border and enter the state amid the coronavirus threat.
“We have come to know through the media that social distancing is not followed in Bangladesh. And you may have relatives there who may seek your help for treatment here. I am not against humanitarian approach but it should not act as a weakness. So, I request the people, irrespective of caste, religion and political identity, living in the bordering areas to do patrolling to ensure no people from Bangladesh can cross the border and reach here,” said Deb through a video message that was shared on his Facebook page.
“Bangladesh has been friendly to us. But we need to prevent the spread of coronavirus through the borders,” he said.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and state police have been put on alert to intensify patrolling along the unfenced border areas in different parts of the state including Gandacherra, Boalkhali, Sonamura and others, according to a press release issued from Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Monday.
Out of 856 kilometre-long international boundary shared by Tripura with Bangladesh, 67 kilometres is still unfenced in different parts of the state.
Tripura reported two Covid-19 positive patients, one has recovered.
