Agartala, Jan 05: The Union Home Ministry will send an additional 260 companies of para-military forces to check militancy and other crimes during next month's assembly election in Tripura. Official sources said here today that at a meeting of the election commission in Delhi yesterday, senior home ministry officials also agreed to tighten border patrolling and related security to prevent cross-border movements of militants.
''We are ready to extend any further help to the Tripura government as needed,'' the Home Ministry officials told the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the prevailing law and order situation, problems arising out of extremist activities, cross-border movement of militants, setting-up of base camps by the militants in Bangladesh as well as preparations for the assembly election.
Assembly elections are to be held in the three north east states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh next month and the EC is likely to make an announcement by the middle of this month, sources said.
The Election Commissioner, senior Home Ministry officials, Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sircar, acting director general of police Pranay Sahay and other officials were present at the meeting, called by the Election Commission (EC).
Sources said the EC has called another meeting in Delhi this week end. Chief electoral officers, chief secretaries, directoral generals of police and other officials of Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh will attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, the final electoral rolls, after the summary revision of the voters' list, will be published in Tripura tomorrow. Bureau Report