Remain vigilant to prevent Bangladeshi infiltrators: Meghalaya Deputy CM

The Meghalaya government has directed all district administrations in the State to remain vigilant especially in districts bordering the India-Bangladesh to prevent infiltration of Bangladeshi intruders.
“We have instructed all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to be more proactive and remain alert to prevent infiltration of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into the State,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said.
The instruction was issued following the recent infiltration of about eight to nine Bangladeshi armed criminals, which include a “dismissed” Bangladesh Army man and a constable of Bangladesh Police, into Meghalaya from across the international border.
These Bangladeshi criminals stormed Rongdangai village under South West Khasi Hills district, stabbed and injured an Indian villager, vandalised properties, before they went into hiding into the forested areas.
Out of the about nine Bangladeshi intruders, five of them so far have been arrested, while one of the intruders identified as Akram from Jenaghati village under Sherpur district of Bangladeshi succumbed to his grievous injuries.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, one of the main accused in the case, who lobbed explosives at pursuing villagers in Majersora–Hathinala forest area of Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district, has managed “to escape and cross over to Bangladesh”.
“It seems he has already crossed back to Bangladesh. However, our police and BSF are on the job to arrest him,” he stated.
Meghalaya police from Gumaghat and Ranikor, BSF troops supported by K9 teams and Village Defence Parties sealed all escape routes. Inspector General of BSF, Meghalaya Frontier, O.P. Upadhayay said a massive combing operation is ongoing in the area conducted by the state police together with the BSF.
He said the villagers have all joined in to assist the security force as they are well-versed with the terrain.
Stating that the state government has already submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs with regard to recent arrest of the five Bangladeshi intruders, Tynsong stressed on the need to fence the India-Bangladesh border under Meghalaya sector.
“We have written to the central government on the need to erect fence along the international border and requested them to convince Bangladesh to allow India to erect the fence at the zero point of the international border,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, of which 49.216 km is unfenced and has terrain difficult to patrol.
In fact, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had directed the Meghalaya government to expedite fencing work as the area was prone to infiltration by militants and illegal migration.