'Bangladesh-India border along Assam to be sealed by December'

Chief minister of India's Assam state Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday announced that the India-Bangladesh border in the state will be completely sealed by December.

Sonowal made the remarks at a conference marking the completion of his two years in office.

"We promised to the people before the 2016 polls that the border will be sealed. I am happy to announce today that the international border between India and Bangladesh in Assam will be sealed completely by December this year," he said.

"While the riverine areas along the border will be sealed with non-physical barriers, the portion on land will be secured with smart fencing, which will stop infiltration and other illegal cross border activities."

Sonowal has visited the border area thrice since he came to office.

The chief minister also said efforts had been taken to check rhino poaching.

He said that while the number of poaching incidents has decreased over last two years, the number of arrested poachers has increased.