MAWKYRWAT, Dec 6: A limestone merchant Nonghyllam village, South West Khasi Hills, was robbed of Rs 14 lakh, allegedly by Bangladeshi nationals.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the victim, Andrew Hahshah, said the incident took place on Sunday afternoon near Lad Mawhar, Rajaju village, when a group of armed people, suspected to be Bangladeshi nationals, robbed him.
“On reaching this place near Lad Mawhar, some people waved their hands and without suspecting anything we stopped the car, thinking that they were the road construction workers. But suddenly, a large number of people came out along with knives and pistols, and surrounded us. They forced me out of the vehicle, held me at gunpoint, while two persons pointed their guns at the driver. They took away my bag which had Rs 14 lakh, and fled the scene,” Hahshah said.
Both Hahshah and the driver, who sustained minor injuries, intimated the Nonghyllam Police Station about the robbery.
Meanwhile, in light of the robbery, KSU South West Khasi Hills sought the Deputy Commissioner’s intervention into transborder crimes.
“The free entry of the Bangladeshi nationals into our country was due to the failure of the BSF to guard our border with Bangladesh, and this was clear during the meeting recently in which they claimed that they are not able to identify between Bangladeshi and locals,” the KSU said.
The Union has also demanded that banks be set up in Nonghyllam area so that people do not have to travel to faraway places for finance-related work.