INFILTRATION
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 13: Former Home Minister and United Democratic Party’s Amlarem MLA, Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday said the Centre and the state government will have to review border security if the attempts by Bangladeshi nationals to sneak into Meghalaya illegally continue
He said Bangladeshi nationals are trying to illegally enter Meghalaya and other Indian states given the situation in the neighbouring country.
“This is a fact but because of the vigilance of the villagers, local police and BSF, they could not do much,” said Rymbui whose constituency largely shares the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border.
“However, if this situation continues, the government of India and the state government will have to relook at security in the areas bordering Bangladesh,” Rymbui added.
Stating that Bangladesh is a densely-populated country and its current economic condition is not good, he said, “There are many religious minorities living there and if the situation continues, the people, who feel suppressed and oppressed, will try to find ways to take refuge.”
He requested the border residents, BSF and the police to keep maintaining high vigil.
There has been a steady rise in the incidents of illegal border-crossing in recent months. The BSF and the police nabbed many Bangladeshi citizens when they attempted to sneak into Meghalaya.
Alert villagers and members of some pressure groups also managed to nab a few of them. The persons were subsequently handed over to the police.
It may be noted that Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh.
BSF foils border smuggling bids
Meanwhile, in a series of successful operations on Wednesday, the BSF thwarted attempts to smuggle cattle and garlic across the Indo-Bangladesh border. The operations resulted in the seizure of two pick-up vehicles loaded with cattle and garlic valued at over Rs 15 lakh. The seized items were intended for illegal transport to Bangladesh through the border areas of East Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills districts.
Based on specific information, the vehicles were intercepted by 22 Battalion BSF troops deployed near the boundary in South Garo Hills. The troops intercepted two pick-up vehicles (ML 08 K 3955 and AS 18AC 7177) loaded with 40 heads of cattle, which were intended to be smuggled into Bangladesh. The vehicles and cattle were handed over to the concerned police station.
In another operation, alert troops from the 110th Battalion BSF seized 5,320 kg of garlic near the international border in East Khasi Hills. The garlic was concealed in a jungle area near the border. The seized commodity was handed over to the concerned customs office for further action.