Meghalaya

The Border Security Force (BSF) has sealed all possible escape routes along the India–Bangladesh border in Meghalaya as part of an intensified manhunt for armed infiltrators who recently carried out a violent cross-border attack in South West Khasi Hills district. The ongoing operation, launched in the Majersora–Hathinala forest belt, is being conducted jointly by BSF troops, Meghalaya Police, and Village Defence Parties. Specialised units, including the K-9 dog squad, have been deployed to track the suspects through the dense border terrain. According to BSF officials, the incident occurred on August 8 when at least eight armed men from Bangladesh crossed into the Bagli sector and stormed Rongdangai village. The intruders allegedly stabbed and injured a civilian, vandalised homes, and at...

The BSF on Wednesday said it has sealed all escape routes along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya, as a joint operation is underway to track down armed infiltrators who robbed, assaulted and attempted to kidnap a villager in South West Khasi Hills district. The operation, launched in the Majersora-Hathinala forest belt, is being conducted jointly with the Meghalaya Police and members of Village Defence Parties, officials said. The K-9 dog squad has also been deployed, officials said. According to BSF officials, the infiltration took place on August 8 when at least eight armed men from Bangladesh crossed the border in the Bagli sector, stormed Rongdangai village, stabbed and injured a civilian, vandalised property, and tried to abduct a resident. From August 9 to 11, coordinated ...

The autumn session of Meghalaya Assembly will be held from September 8-12, Speaker Thomas A Sangma said on Wednesday. He made the announcement after chairing a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the assembly. The five-day session will have three days reserved for government business and two days for private members' business, Sangma told reporters. The session will begin with government business on Monday, including the presentation of supplementary demands for grants and appropriation for 2025-2026. Wednesday and Friday have been designated specifically for voting on these supplementary grant demands, highlighting their importance to the state's fiscal planning. The Meghalaya Appropriation (No. III) Bill, 2025, is scheduled for introduction, consideration and passage ...

The Meghalaya High Court pulled up the Centre and the state government over the delay in executing the expansion of the Shillong airport, despite repeated judicial directions to expedite the process. A division bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh on Wednesday observed that while both the Centre and the state government were aware of the critical importance of extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft, their actions reflected an "absolutely usual government pace" rather than the urgency the project demands. The court noted that Rs 72.17 crore has already been given to the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) to acquire 11.75 acres of land from private owners. However, no sale or transfer agreements have been executed so far. Instea...

Security along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya has been significantly tightened ahead of Independence Day celebrations as part of ‘Operation Alert,’ a Border Security Force (BSF) official said on Tuesday. The operation is being conducted in close cooperation with Meghalaya Police and other local agencies. Additional BSF troops have been deployed in forward areas to ensure enhanced surveillance and control. Key measures include intensified area domination, continuous patrolling around the clock, surprise naka checks, and riverine patrols aimed at closing any gaps along the border. The operation particularly focuses on preventing cattle smuggling, illegal crossings, and the movement of contraband. Inspector General OP Upadhyay of BSF’s Meghalaya Frontier said, “Operation Alert r...

A Bangladeshi allegedly involved in a cross-border intrusion and abduction bid in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district died after being assaulted by local villagers, police said on Tuesday. The deceased, identified as Akram from Jenaghati in Sherpur district of Bangladesh, was caught by residents of Kaitha Kona village around 4:30 PM on Monday. Superintendent of Police Banrap Jyrwa said the villagers handed over the injured man to the police, who was then taken to Maheshkhola Primary Health Centre. He succumbed to his injuries there.

Security was beefed up along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya in view of Independence Day, a BSF official said on Tuesday. 'Operation Alert' is being carried out in close coordination with the Meghalaya Police and other law enforcement agencies, he said. Additional troops have been deployed in the forward areas, he said. The operation includes intensified area domination, round-the-clock patrolling, surprise naka checks, and riverine patrols to plug border gaps, with a focus on countering cattle smuggling, contraband movement, and illegal crossings, he added. "Operation Alert reflects the force's commitment to safeguarding national security during the festive season and preventing any disruption by inimical forces," said OP Upadhyay, the inspector general of BSF's Meghalaya Fro...

The Central Silk Board’s Sub-Station for Pilot Cultivation (SSPC) in Kaliabari, Boko, in partnership with the District Sericulture Office of East Garo Hills, organised a one-day Muga Field Day on Monday at the muga farms in Williamnagar. The event aimed to strengthen traditional silk culture and promote sustainable livelihoods among local farmers. The programme was chaired by Shri Dharavath Saicharan, Scientist-B and In-charge of SSPC Kaliabari, who highlighted the long-term income potential of muga silk farming for the region’s farmers. District Sericulture Officer Smt. S. G. Momin and Sericulture Demonstrator Shri Charnenko Sangma encouraged farmers to adopt modern and improved rearing techniques to increase productivity and enhance the quality of muga silk. The event featured live d...

A man was critically injured after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a police officer's service pistol during a gathering at Jowai, the headquarters of Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district, police said on Monday. The incident took place between 4:30 pm and 5 pm on Sunday when the victim, identified as Wanda-O-Najiar, was out with friends, including Sub-Inspector Wewanroy Challan, Second Officer-in-Charge of Nartiang Police Station. Police said Najiar, who was chewing betel nut, took Challan's pistol and began fiddling with it when it went off, hitting him in the head. “There was no quarrel before the incident, and it was purely accidental,” Challan later told his senior officers. Najiar was initially taken to a government hospital in Jowai, then shifted to a private ...

Security forces have arrested a fifth Bangladeshi national accused of taking part in a violent midnight raid on Rongdangai village in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district. The arrest was made late Saturday during a coordinated search by the Meghalaya Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) in the dense Chibak forest area, officials confirmed on Sunday. The suspect is believed to be part of an armed gang of eight to nine men who illegally crossed the international border around midnight on August 7. The group allegedly stormed a local shop, assaulted the shopkeeper, and fled with cash and valuables before heading back towards Bangladesh. Alert residents, aided by nearby security personnel, pursued the fleeing men immediately after the attack. Four suspects were overpowered and...