Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Police stopped 17 alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators early August 20. The group tried to cross the border without valid travel documents. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the operation successfully prevented the entry into India. The state remains open to legal travelers. For others, the policy is simple.
Sarma addressed the incident on social media. "No Kaagaz No Entry!" he wrote. He stressed that anyone lacking proper paperwork will be sent back. The chief minister did not name the specific intercept location or the exact site where officials pushed the group back.
Police currently maintain heightened vigilance along the border. They look for undocumented individuals to ensure state security. The Assam government is pushing to clear illegal infiltration entirely. This effort follows increased surveillance by the Border Security Force along the 1,885-km border with Bangladesh. Tension in the neighboring country has kept local officials on high alert throughout the year.
Updated at 21st August 2026 at 9:47am
Beyond border security, regional tensions flared after a bike rally by the Khasi Students Union in Shillong led to stone-pelting and attacks on Assam-registered vehicles. The fallout triggered road blockades by drivers at Khanapara and Jorabat. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma are pushing for peace, tasking cabinet ministers from both states to meet and restore order.
The state is also expanding its footprint. The government launched Asom Mala 4.0, a Rs 10,000-crore push to build 800 km of rural roads. Meanwhile, Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah touted recent milestones, including the rollout of Orunodoi 3.0 and the installation of over 61 lakh smart meters.
In a nod to local heritage, officials presented Sarma with a 120-year-old Kamakhya Devalaya land record. The 1904-05 Jamabandi document, penned with a quill, highlights early land administration in the Nilachal Hills.
Separately, Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika waded into the Kaziranga Eco-Sensitive Zone debate, accusing critics of political hypocrisy. He pointed to 2015 protests where those currently opposing the proposed 1-3 km zone were then demanding the total scrapping of the protection boundary.
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