SHILLONG, Jan 22: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said the government is making all efforts to prevent cross-border infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh but such incidents are still happening.
Reacting to news reports that Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan’s attacker Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir had entered India through Dawki, the chief minister said, “All steps are being taken to prevent such incidents. It is not that anybody wants immigrants to come in but we don’t have iron doors out there that will allow us to completely stop it.”
“There are challenges. We have to understand that this (infiltration) is a challenge which is being faced by even big nations like the U.S. despite all their technologies,” he added.
On steps being taken to check infiltration, Sangma said, “We are doing our best and whenever we are getting any information, complaints, or intelligence, we are taking action. If there is any information received from the people we are going to take action.”
He admitted that infiltration from Bangladesh was a matter of concern for Meghalaya. “We would like to see that the border fencing is completed and strict vigilance is imposed in the border areas to ensure that not even a single person can enter the state,” he added.
Of the 443 km international border that Meghalaya shares with Bangladesh, 375 km have been fenced and 60 km remains unfenced due to various challenges.
“Approximately about 60 km of fencing is still pending and out of it about 3.5 km is in East Jaintia Hills, 35.9 km is in West Jaintia Hills, 7.19 km is in South Garo Hills, 14.15 km in East Khasi Hills, and 3.5 km in South West Khasi Hills,” he said.
