In Silchar, Assam, the Cachar district authority has enforced a strict interdiction across its 33.6 km borderline with Bangladesh. This measure aims to curtail illegal entries, cattle rustling, and other unlawful undertakings during the Lok Sabha elections slated for the second phase on April 26, as communicated by an official.
The decree, under Section 144 of the CrPC, restricts movement from dusk till dawn within one kilometer of the Indo-Bangladesh border. This was decreed by District Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha on Wednesday. The directive is effective immediately and remains active for a duration of two months, according to the official statement.
Access along the River Surma is also constrained, and fishing is permitted only with authorization from the Katigorah Circle Officer. Additionally, vehicles transporting vital goods can operate within five kilometers of the international border solely with a permit sanctioned by the Katigorah Circle Officer.
However, these constraints do not extend to officials of the central and state governments. The prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were enforced on April 2 throughout the district due to concerns about the potential for disturbances to public order, peace, and safety during the election period.
Individuals and groups are barred from carrying weapons such as clubs, spears, and machetes. Similarly, possession or use of firearms, toy pistols, revolvers, and items capable of producing explosive sounds or chemical effects is also forbidden.
