BSF inducts choppers to guard unfenced Tripura border

The BSF today said it will now use choppers to guard the unfenced regions in remote areas along the 856km long Indo-Bangla border in Tripura.

The BSF on Monday said it will now use choppers to guard the unfenced regions in remote areas along the 856km long Indo-Bangla border in Tripura. The BSF has also decided to fire rubber bullets to catch intruders.

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"The hangar is ready at the Agartala airport and choppers will be pressed into service latest by early next month. It would be used mainly for aerial surveillance of about 55 km unfenced border in the remote and hilly areas having difficult terrains," Inspector General of Tripura Frontier of BSF, S K Jain, said.

Despite fencing in 90% areas, ultras enter into the Indian territory taking the advantage of the porous border in unfenced areas.

"The chopper would also be used for dispatching food to those border outposts situated on cliff tops which can be approached only by chopper," he added.

The BSF would also use non lethal rifles to shoot rubber bullets instead of fire cartridges so that infiltrators are not killed but injured painfully and can be caught easily. Border guards are now also using an advance alarm system which would alert them on attempts of infiltration.

With the establishment of 20 more Border Outposts (BOP), the gap between any two BOPs would be reduced from 4.5 kms to 3.5 kms, he said and added that one more battalion of the paramilitary force would be added to the 16 battalions already present.