CM announces BOPs in sensitive border areas

SHILLONG, Nov 28: Meghalaya government will set up border outposts in all sensitive areas along the interstate borders with Assam, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Monday, almost a week after gun wielding Assam police and forest guard personnel killed five residents of Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills.
Sangma announced the government decision after chairing an all-party meeting in Shillong, which was also attended by legislators from Jaintia Hills.
The lawmakers were briefed on steps that have been taken by the state government and the planned course of action following the incident at Mukroh on November 22.
“Informed the political leaders that the Cabinet will sit tomorrow to finalise the list of the various Border Outposts (BOPs) that will be set up in sensitive areas,” he said in a statement.
Sangma added, “Necessary steps will be taken to make border residents safe and secured.”
He along with other attendees also observed a two-minute silence to mourn the dead.
Condemning the firing incident, the chief minister said, “The Mukroh firing incident is a personal loss to the state of Meghalaya. I have appealed to all political leaders to work together to ensure normalcy returns and no further violence occurs in the state.”
The state police, he said, have registered a case against those involved in the assault and intimidation inside the Shillong Civil Hospital last week. “Such violent acts are unacceptable. Actions will be taken as per law against individuals,” Sangma said.
Meanwhile, the state government on Monday withdrew its order suspending mobile internet services across seven districts in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
Interstate movement of vehicles was normal on Monday and no untoward incident was reported along National Highway 6.
Heavy security, however, remains deployed at the disputed area along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC too continued at the clash site and surrounding areas.
Both Meghalaya and Assam have claimed that the killings took place in their respective territories.
Senior government officials in Assam said the area is limping back to normalcy and though movement restrictions with heavy security is still in place, there is no restriction on villagers going to work or other jobs.
Large gatherings are, however, strictly prohibited in the area which falls in a disputed border location between the two NE states, the officials said.