Night curfew clamped along India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya

The District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, imposed a night curfew, along the India-Bangladesh border, on Thursday to prevent cross-border movement by ‘unwanted elements’ such as people, members of proscribed militant groups, smugglers, and other illegal activities.
The curfew will be effective from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM within a radius of 1 kilometre from the zero line of the international border for a period of two months from August 21, 2025, District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills, Rosetta Mary Kurbah said.
The curfew was necessitated in view of the current situation in Bangladesh where there is every likelihood of cross border movement of unwanted elements, members of proscribed militant groups, smugglers and any other illegal activities on India-Bangladesh border.
“The curfew was imposed to prohibit movement of people at the international border with the intention to cross the international boundary with Bangladesh or sneak into the Indian territory, unauthorised procession or unlawful assembly of 5 or more persons, carrying of arms and other lethal weapons in and around the India-Bangladesh border,” Kurbah said in her order.
The order also bans illegal, undesirable activities, smuggling of cattle, contraband goods, betelnut, betel leaves, dry fish, bidis, cigarettes and tea leaves.
Moreover, Kurbah said that certain portion of the international border areas in the East Khasi Hills district still being porous and prone to infiltration by illegal migrants, members of organised crime having linkage to anti-national elements including armed insurgent groups who may gather in large numbers near the international border during the night hours to continue their nefarious activities.
“Whereas, such illegal and undesirable activities, if not prevented, may lead to uncontrollable cross border infiltration resulting in breach of peace and tranquillity in the district,” Kurbah said.
According to Press Information Bureau (PIB) data, Meghalaya shares a 443-km-long border with Bangladesh, of which 367.155 km has been fenced.