Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, central paramilitary forces have intensified security measures in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, a region historically prone to political unrest. On Thursday, during an ‘Area Domination’ exercise in the Dinhata-2 block—the constituency of North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha—the security forces were seen interacting directly with local residents.

Breaking away from their usual stern public image, the jawans were seen shaking hands and encouraging voters to cast their ballots without fear. Their message was clear: “Do not be afraid, vote and choose a good leader.” This friendly approach has pleasantly surprised local residents, who are accustomed to seeing a much stricter version of the forces.

The political response to this has been mixed. While the TMC leadership cautioned that the forces should not intimidate citizens, the BJP welcomed the move, stating that the presence of the central forces provides much-needed reassurance to voters. With 4 companies already deployed in the Dinhata subdivision, the administration plans to conduct further route marches and flag marches in sensitive zones to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process.