Siliguri Corridor Security In Focus As Amit Shah To Hold Key West Bengal Engagements

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold several engagements in Siliguri on Friday as part of his three-day visit to West Bengal, with security preparedness and legal awareness forming major parts of his schedule.

Shah will visit the Sashastra Seema Bal’s Frontier Headquarters in Siliguri, where he will inaugurate infrastructure facilities and launch the foundation work for several upcoming projects. He will meet SSB personnel during his visit and discuss issues concerning the force and its operational responsibilities.

The Home Minister will further join the personnel for a traditional ‘Bara Khana’, providing an opportunity for interaction over a communal meal.

The first engagement at the SSB headquarters will begin at approximately 11:15 AM.

Later, Shah will participate in a public programme at Kawakhali Ground at around 2:30 PM.

The event will, however, feature an exhibition designed to familiarise people with the country’s revamped criminal justice framework.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam took effect on July 1, 2024. These laws replaced the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Shah’s West Bengal visit will address security concerns surrounding the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, popularly called the ‘Chicken’s Neck’.

The narrow stretch serves as a crucial link between mainland India and the northeastern region, giving it considerable strategic importance.

The Home Minister is scheduled to lead a border-security review meeting on August 22.

Another engagement on Friday will, however, take place at Hotel Mayfair in Siliguri at around 4:20 PM and will focus on reviewing the helpline.

Shah reached West Bengal on Thursday evening, and his Siliguri schedule will combine SSB infrastructure development, interaction with security personnel, public awareness of new criminal laws, and preparations for wider border-security reviews.