IRB asks Assam forest guards not to set up camp

Tension returned to Behali area, where 15 people were allegedly killed by miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh, after security personnel from the state opposed setting up of forest protection camps on Assam side.
Following the attack on CPI(ML) supporters in Behali Reserve Forest on January 29 this year, the Assam government decided to set up four camps at Radhasu, Dikal Tiniali, Chauldhowa Road Point and Naharjan inside the forest.
"More than two and half platoons of India Reserve Battalion (IRB) force from Arunachal Pradesh side arrived in the area today and got involved in an argument over the issue of setting up of camps and threatened not to do so at Radhasu point. They pushed back the forest guard team of Assam," Sonitpur DFO (East) A K Dey told PTI here.

Locals and different organisations, including Arunachal Agrasan Pratirodh Samiti, alleged that yesterday a forest guard team arrived in Chauldhowa area under Behali Reserve Forest to set up a forest camp.
In the meantime, some IRB personnel with sophisticated arms also arrived in the area and threatened the Assam forest guards not to set up the border outpost, resulting to escalation of tension in the area.
"The project (to set up four camps) is being executed by Assam Forest Department under DFO Sonitpur East Division," Dey said, adding Rs 19 lakh each has been earmarked to set up the four camps on Assam side.