The Central Government has given the personnel of Assam Rifles the power to arrest a person and search a place without warrant in the north-eastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

According to a Home Ministry notification, ‘an officer of the rank corresponding to that of the lowest rank of the members of Assam Rifles’ has been given these powers under the Code of Criminal Procedure(CrPC).

As per reports, the notification further stated that the Assam Rifles personnel will exercise these powers and discharge their duties under sub-section (1) of section 41, sections 47, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 149, 150, 151 and 152 of the CrPC within the local limits of the area comprised within the border districts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.

Section 41 of the CrPC states that a police officer without a warrant may arrest a person.

Section 47 gives powers for search of place entered by person sought to be arrested.

Section 48 gives the police officer the power to pursue an offender into other jurisdictions.

Section 49 states that the person arrested shall not be subjected to more restraint than is necessary to prevent his escape.

The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force in India that was formed in 1835.

At present, there are 46 battalions of Assam Rifles with a sanctioned strength of 63747 personnel. The paramilitary force is under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Some of the roles of the Assam Rifles include the provision of internal security under the control of the Army through the conduct of counter insurgency and border security operations, provision of aid to the civilians in times of emergency, and the provision of communications, medical assistance and education in remote areas.