MAWKYRWAT, Sep 29: The Deputy Commissioner (in-charge) of South West Khasi Hills, SC Laloo, called on officials of the Border Security Force (BSF), as well as Police and Labour departments besides leaders of Khasi Student’s Union (KSU) South West Khasi Hills District Unit, to deliberate over the rise in crimes purportedly arising due to ‘free movement’ of Bangladesh nationals along the Indo-Bangla border in South West Khasi Hills.
The meeting was held a week after the KSU registered its concern over rise in crimes in the international border areas under the district from Balat, Mawpyllun, Borsora, Nongjri to other areas. The union had even lodged a complaint against the alleged free movement of Bangladesh nationals along the border.
After the meeting, president of the KSU Ranikor Circle, Marconi Thongni, while expressing gratitude to the DC, told media persons that on several occasions, Bangladesh nationals have crossed over to Indian territory in groups of 30-40 people and committed crimes such as kidnapping and taking the victims to Bangladesh and then demand ransom.
“This clearly shows that people can move freely in the border area, and therefore, the BSF and the police should work together so that this problem can be solved,” Thongni said.
Talking about the aspect wherein Bangladeshi workers are brought into the state by contractors, he pointed out that “many local contractors rope in workers from Bangladesh as they are cheap labour but some of them go back to their country, while some stay here (in India) permanently after getting married”.
“These people also easily get school certificates, birth certificates and are even able to register themselves into the electoral roll because the school certificates in the border areas have become a business for some schools. This is a real threat to the national security of India. Therefore, the Union requests the Election department to properly scrutinise before enrolling people into the electoral roll,” he said.
Thongni also informed media persons that the Union will soon file a complaint against some Bangladeshi nationals who have illegally become citizens of India.
On the other hand, general secretary of the KSU South West Khasi Hills District Unit, Jiedskhem Nongsiej, said that during the meeting, the DC in-charge told them that the district administration is awaiting the order from the state government for implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act for registration of people outside the state and country.
It is worth mentioning here that a group of 19 Bangladeshi infiltrators hailing from the Sunamganj district of the country were apprehended by the BSF from a border village in East Khasi Hills while they were en route to Jammu and Kashmir for labour work.
