Calcutta Nov. 18 :    Calcutta Nov. 18:  The Centre has acceded to state pressure and decided to deploy troops along the Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district for the first time. The Special Security Bureau (SSB), a force under Delhi's control, has been raised for the task. It is expected to arrive in Siliguri shortly. Boundaries with Nepal and Bhutan, two friendly countries, are treated as open borders and hence, the Border Security Force is not deployed like at all other international borders. People come and go without any hindrance. But the Bengal government has been pressing for policing of the border after growing incidents of subversive activities by separatists and ISI-backed troublemakers. Writers' Buildings has argued that the miscreants and criminals were taking advantage of the open border and slipping into the neighbouring countries after committing a crime in West Bengal. 'According to the 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty, people from both countries will have access to travel without any hindrance. Taking advantage of this clause, the ISI men and miscreants from Pakistan and Bangladesh enter the state (from Nepal), get involved in subversive activities and supply arms and ammunition. They even move to the northeastern states through Siliguri. We have been demanding deployment of forces along the border to prevent this,' said urban development minister Ashoke Bhattacharya, who is also MLA from Siliguri. The Centre agreed to comply with the state's demand after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee discussed the issue with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and home minister L.K. Advani. The Union home ministry told the state government about the special force a few weeks ago. However, no decision has been taken about the Bhutan boundary. 'We expect the force to arrive soon and are hopeful that the uninterrupted movement of suspected persons will be checked,' said a home department official. He said SSB jawans would be posted in selected places bordering Nepal and work in tandem with the district administration. 'According to the BSF Act, the force is deployed at all international borders to prevent entry and exit of any person or vehicle without valid papers. The force is also empowered not to allow transaction of goods without required papers. As the borders of Nepal and Bhutan are open, the BSF can not be deployed. Instead, the special force will do the needful,' a BSF official explained. The SSB, virtually a parallel force of the BSF, will perform some specific duties. It will have the right to check any person or vehicle crossing the border, seize any vehicle, inspect or raid any house or hotels in bordering areas and arrest any suspected person. The force will be on round-the-clock duty. Instructed by the state home department, Darjeeling district magistrate Anil Verma and superintendent of police Sanjay Chandra recently held a meeting with the authorities of three Nepali districts, Jhapa, Ilam and Panchtar, where both sides agreed to beef up security along the border. 'Initially, the well-equipped SSB jawans will be deployed at 25 border points including Mirik, Sandakphu, Falut, Sukiapokhri, Panitanki and Debiganj. They will hand over the arrested persons or seized vehicles to the district administration. The police will assist them,' Verma said.