Border Security Force celebrates 56th Raising Day in Shillong

SHILLONG: The Border Security Force (BSF) celebrated its '56th Raising Day' recently.

The BSF was raised on December 1, 1965 by Padma Vibhushan K.F. Rustam just after the Indo-Pak war when the need for a specialized and specific force to guard the borders was felt.

The BSF mans 3,323 kms on the western frontier and 4,096 kms on the eastern frontier of India. In addition, it serves the nation on the Line of Control (LoC), and operations related to counter insurgency, and against naxal organizations.

Started with 25 battalions, the BSF now has 192 battalions. The force has also grown in its capabilities with its Air wing, Water wing, and Artillery. In the need of hour, BSF Meghalaya came forward to deal with COVID-19 and its effects on the local population by distributing food and essential items in collaboration with several NGOs.

BSF Meghalaya also donated plasma of convalescent recovered BSF personnel at NEIGHRMS which was appreciated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as well and the other forces started to replicate the same model.

The BSF Meghalaya Frontier is undertaking various confidence building measures and public outreach programmes to cement relationship with border population in Meghalaya.

Since the last BSF Day, BSF Meghalaya Frontier apprehended several criminals/smugglers at the border and seized huge quantity of contraband items, cattle and miscellaneous items worth Rs 22 crore while these items were being smuggled to Bangladesh from India and vice-versa.

Hardeep Singh, Inspector General Frontier HQ Meghalaya stated: "The Border Security Force will develop a better understanding between border population by creating a sense of security among them. Further, the Force will remain ever vigilant to curb smuggling activities in the border area." This was stated in a press release.

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