Amit Shah visits ITBP headquarters in Delhi; reviews ops preparedness along China border

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited the headquarters of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) here and reviewed its operational preparedness along the Line of Actual Control with China, official sources said.

Shah, who was accompanied by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, spent about four hours at the force's head office, located in the CGO complex on Lodhi road here.

This was his first visit to the headquarters of the border guarding force after becoming home minister in the Modi government.

He had, in the past, visited the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) for an operational review.

Sources said the minister was briefed and given a presentation by senior ITBP officers, led by Director General (DG) S S Deswal, about the forces' deployment along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Shah stressed the force to ensure all logistical requirements to the troops on border and asked them to make use of modern gadgetry and technology in securing the Himalayan front that witnesses subzero temperatures at most locations.

The minister, they said, was also informed about the recent procurement of SUV vehicles and mountaineering equipment.

The ITBP was raised in the aftermath of the 1962 Chinese aggression and apart from guarding the border, it is deployed for variety of internal security duty roles including conduct of anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh.