Meghalaya

The Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army are set to resume their joint military exercise Maitree in India, bringing renewed focus on counter-terrorism cooperation and regional security. The 14th edition of the exercise will be held from September 1 to 14 at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya. This year’s exercise holds special significance as it returns to Indian soil after a gap of five years. The last edition was conducted in Thailand’s Tak Province, where both sides had deployed 76 soldiers each, including India’s Ladakh Scouts and Thailand’s 1st Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment. The upcoming drill in Meghalaya will build on that foundation while addressing new security challenges in the region. According to the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public...

The Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army will conduct the 14th edition of their joint military exercise, Maitree, from September 1 to 14 at the Foreign Training Node in Umroi, Meghalaya. According to the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information, the drill will focus on enhancing operational readiness for joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban terrain under a United Nations mandate. This edition is significant as the exercise returns to India after a gap of five years. The last Maitree exercise was held in Tak Province, Thailand, where both sides had deployed 76 soldiers each, including India’s Ladakh Scouts and Thailand’s 1st Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment. Defence ties between India and Thailand form part of a wider partnership that spans tr...

Meghalaya police in West Jaintia Hills district apprehended three individuals and recovered three stolen scooters in an early morning operation on Friday, officials confirmed. Acting on intelligence inputs, a police team intercepted a car without a registration plate at Demthring around 2:30 am. Upon inspection, the team found vehicle parts inside the car. Further questioning led the officers to a nearby jungle, where three stolen scooters had been concealed. The arrested suspects were identified as Jopparson Rabon (24) and Meshanki Langstang (22) of Thangrai, and Paulme Sungoh (21) of Nongbah Lawmusiang. During preliminary interrogation, the trio admitted to stealing the vehicles from Shillong’s Laban and Jhalupara areas. The recovered scooters have been seized and shifted to the J...

Meghalaya Police will file its chargesheet by August-end against prime accused Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha and five others in the May 23 Sohra murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, well within the three-month deadline from their June arrest, officials said on Friday. All five accused are currently in judicial custody. Additional Public Prosecutor Tushar Chandra told reporters that the investigation is almost complete and the chargesheet will be filed within this month. He added that the accused are expected to be produced before the court again on either August 27 or 28. Those arrested include Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raj Kushwaha, and three alleged henchmen—Anand Singh Kurmi, Akash Rajput, and Vishal Singh Chauhan. Three co-accused, identified as property owner L. Tomar, proper...

The Bangladeshi people who had sneaked into India and attempted to rob and abduct a villager in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills earlier this month took advantage of unfenced stretches of the international border, officials said on Thursday. Meghalaya and Bangladesh share a 444 km-long border, around 20 per cent of which is unfenced due to various reasons. After the intrusion by Bangladeshis on August 8, the state government sent a three-member panel to the affected area. It comprises Vice Chairman of the Border Area Development Committee Kitborlang Nongrem, former MLA Himalaya M Shangpliang and Mendipathar legislator Marthon J Sangma. During the inspection, villagers complained that Bangladeshi groups had been exploiting hidden tracks and porous stretches of the border to carry o...

The Meghalaya government has ordered the one-year detention of five repeat drug traffickers under the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, officials announced on Wednesday. The move follows the recommendation of a three-member Advisory Board headed by a retired Chief Justice, in accordance with Section 31 of the Act, said Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh. The detained individuals are Pynhoi Nongtula Puni (35) of Thadlaskien, West Jaintia Hills; Hubert Lamphrang Palar alias Lungrit (22) of Mawdong Pyndengrei, West Khasi Hills; Marwil Nangbah alias Marwil (49) of Lumpari, Jowai; Rintu G Saika alias Pratap (35) of Nongrim Hills; and Aisha Khatoon alias Pahari (50) of Lower Paltan Bazar. Lyngdoh noted that since August 2024, ...

The Meghalaya government on Wednesday handed appointment letters to 445 people who have been recruited by the Civil Defence and Home Guards Department. Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Comingone Ymbon handed the appointment letters to the recruits at the first 'Rozgar Mela' of the department in Mawdiangdiang. These recruits will join as sub-inspectors, guardsmen, drivers and non-combatant employees. Congratulating the new appointees, Ymbon urged them to uphold discipline, integrity and dedication in their service. “Every action you take reflects not only upon yourself, but upon the institution you represent and the state you serve,” he told the gathering. He described the department as a vital force that stands as “pillars of courage and resilience” during natural calamities such...

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has issued show-cause notices to four registered political parties in the state, including the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), for failing to contest any election since 2019. CEO BDR Tiwari on Thursday said notices have also been served to Meghalaya Democratic Party (MDP), North East Social Democratic Party (NESDP) and the Regional Democratic Secular Congress (RDSC). The parties have been asked to submit their explanations in writing, along with affidavits, constitutions and other relevant documents, by September 3.

Authorities in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on Tuesday issued road closure notices for the Laitlyngkot-Lyngkyrdem stretch of the Shillong-Dawki highway, a move expected to disrupt tourists intending to visit Mawlynnong, Asia's cleanest village, and Dawki, besides Shnongpdeng and Darrang, officials said. In a partial modification to the previous advisory issued in July, the authorities under Pynursla subdivision said the stretch will remain closed daily from noon to 4 pm and from 9 pm to 4 am. "The restrictions will be in place from August 20 to August 31, after which the timings may be relaxed following a review," it added. The order comes in the wake of several accidents and rising concerns about safety on the under-construction highway. Earlier this month, five people were k...

Meghalaya on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation to launch the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) across schools in the state, officials said. The OVEP is a global initiative that seeks to harness the power of sport and Olympism to instill values of excellence, respect and friendship among youth while promoting life skills, holistic development and community well-being, they said. The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, among others.