Patna, Dec. 3: The Centre has decided to set up two battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Bihar to curb crime in areas along the country’s frontiers with Nepal and Bangladesh.

The deployment of ITBP personnel assumes significance in the wake of intelligence reports suggesting the state’s borders being used as a conduit for carrying out terror activities across the country.

During his visit to Bihar last month, Union home secretary R.K. Singh had hinted at the Centre’s concern over the situation along the country’s borders with the two neighbours passing through the state.

ITBP spokesman Deepak Kumar Pandey today said while one battalion of the force would be stationed in Katihar close to Indo-Bangla border, another unit would be established in Chhapra, the district headquarters of Saran.

“The headquarters of the force would be in Patna. The new development is a part of the functional and structural changes in the force,” he added.

ITBP had initially started with four battalions to guard the country's northern borders. It underwent functional and structural changes in 1978, 1986, 2007 and 2011. At present, ITBP has 45 service battalions, four specialist battalions and many training institutions.

“Our force is considered one of the best mountain forces in the world,” Pandey said.

ITBP personnel guard border outposts along the 3,488-km Sino-Indian border in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh from Karakoram Pass to Jelep La at altitudes ranging between 9,000ft and 18,700 ft.