The Assam Rifles launched an identification, verification and biometric registration drive for displaced Myanmar nationals on Monday, in coordination with the civil administration, police and medical department of Kamjong district, to strengthen border governance and security, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
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Kamjong is a district of Manipur along the border with Myanmar, on the northeastern side of Imphal.
The Assam Rifles statement said the documentation exercise was conducted in Phaikoh, Shangkhalok and Aloyo villages, where displaced Myanmar nationals who fled instability in their country have taken temporary shelter.
Acting under the directions of the district administration, a joint team comprising 40 civil officials and security personnel carried out identity verification, biometric enrolment and demographic documentation of the refugees. Approximately 500 individuals were covered during the exercise, resulting in the creation of an authenticated and centralised database to support administrative planning and security monitoring.
The verification drive forms Phase 2 of Operation Anchor, a structured civil-military initiative aimed at balancing national security requirements with regulated humanitarian assistance along the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB).
According to officials, Phase 2 builds on the achievements of Phase 1, which focused on strengthening border security through enhanced electronic surveillance, intensified patrolling and targeted border fencing to prevent illegal cross-border movement and infiltration.
With the transition to Phase 2, the emphasis has shifted from securing the border to ensuring accountability within the interior areas by maintaining comprehensive records of individuals granted temporary refuge.
The Assam Rifles said that “biometric database eliminates anonymity, aids the civil administration in streamlining essential medical and humanitarian relief transparently and provides the Union and state governments with reliable records to make informed policy decisions regarding border governance and internal security.”
