In the 18th century, bandits feared the “army”, and the Shubhendu Adhikari government is trying to revive it. After the BJP’s victory in West Bengal, there is growing talk of reviving the historic, traditional paramilitary force of the 18th century to improve law and order. Learn about this ancient security force, which could become the Shubhendu government’s new weapon to stop infiltration and syndicate rule in the border areas. After assuming power in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is set to improve law and order in the state. Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari has started cracking down on syndicate rule and bandits. Meanwhile, there is talk in administrative circles that the new Bengal government is considering reviving the historic, traditional paramilitary force of the 18th century in a new form to strengthen security in the state’s borders and troubled areas.
The resurgent paramilitary force has a glorious history dating back to the 18th century (British times and earlier) when traditional forces were the age of bandits and rioters. During that period, special paramilitary teams were formed at the local level to maintain law and order in the rural areas, forests and coastal areas of Bengal, to eliminate the dreaded bandits and to prevent cross-border infiltration. The soldiers were masters of the local geography. The soldiers of this traditional force were well versed in the geography of the area. Their guerrilla warfare style and quick action were so precise that even the most notorious criminals and rioters would tremble at the mere mention of their name. After independence, and then during the decades-long Left and TMC rule, the advent of modern police marginalized this traditional structure and gradually consigned it to the pages of history.
Why is the 18th century security model needed? After winning the 2026 Bengal elections, the biggest challenge facing the BJP and the Shubhendu Adhikari government is to restore law and order in the remote rural areas of the state, especially in the border areas of South 24 Parganas, Malda, Murshidabad and North Bengal. The lack of local intelligence will be addressed. Modern police forces often lack local intelligence. If this traditional force is re-established with modern weapons and new training, it can create an impenetrable security network at the local level. Infiltration and syndicates will be controlled. This force can act as a major ‘game changer’ for the state police to completely dismantle the networks of powerful people like Jahangir Khan near the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh borders and stop illegal activities from across the border.
