The government is worried that malaria might spread among the Indian troops deployed along the India-Bhutan border. It has started providing soldiers with insecticide-treated mosquito nets and mosquito repellents. During the past five years, at least 50 army and paramilitary troopers have died of malaria in Assam. Mosquitoes have also affected militants, forcing them from their hide-outs. A retired chief engineer of the state's public works department, who was kidnapped by the United Liberation Force of Asom, died of malaria last week.