Meghalaya

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday apprehended a Bangladeshi tout near Dawki, a key border town in Meghalaya, for suspected involvement in illegal cross-border activities. According to officials, the 4th Battalion BSF acted on specific intelligence inputs and spotted suspicious movement along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The man, identified as Md. Ibrahim (21) from Sylhet district in Bangladesh, was detained while attempting to cross the border covertly. BSF sources said Ibrahim’s behavior raised suspicion, prompting immediate interception. During preliminary questioning, he allegedly confessed to involvement in smuggling operations and aiding illegal infiltrations across the international boundary. The detainee was later handed over to Dawki Police Station for further lega...

In the early hours of Monday, a tragic road accident on National Highway 6 (NH-6) at Umlyngkdait in Ri-Bhoi District claimed the lives of two men. The incident occurred at around 12:05 am when a Maruti Alto 800, travelling from Shillong to Guwahati, collided with the rear of an unidentified lorry, which fled the scene immediately after the crash. Nongpoh Police were informed of the accident at approximately 12:22 am by a passer-by. Upon arrival, police identified the victims as Robi Paswan, 30, of Lumparing, Shillong, who was driving the vehicle, and Prakash, 26, from Vasanthanagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, who was a passenger. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, with their identities confirmed through driving licences found on their persons. The car was severely damaged by the imp...

The state government has decided to upgrade all secondary schools to higher secondary schools to absorb the huge number of students who have passed their SSLC examinations. Referring to the SSLC results announced on Saturday, Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma said, “The 87.1% pass rate means an additional 30,000 students will be rushing for admission into Class XI. Therefore, we will be giving NOC (no-objection certificate) to all the schools which want to run the higher secondary sections.” “The government secondary schools will also be upgraded to the higher secondary level. We will encourage higher secondary schools to increase their intake to absorb the students,” he added. The minister said schools from rural, urban as well as semi-urban areas have all performed well this time an...

The proposed Byrnihat-Shillong railway project has died a natural death with the Meghalaya government gearing up to return the funds meant for land acquisition under the project to the Ministry of Railways. An official said that the government will around Rs 209.37 crore to the Ministry and the necessary paper works have begun. The funds were placed with the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi on March 30, 2017 for acquiring land for the railway project in the district. The development comes just days after the government constituted a committee headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to discuss the pros and cons of the railway projects in Khasi-Jaintia Hills. It may be mentioned that the pressure groups in the state have not allowed the government to construct railway line even for goods ...

The state government has started the process of returning monies to the Center that were initially allotted for land acquisition connected to the proposed railway project in Khasi Hills, including the Byrnihat-Shillong route, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced on Friday. The action was taken in response to a recent correspondence from the center asking for the reimbursement of funds that were originally approved for the purchase of land in the area for the construction of a railway. The Chief Minister confirmed the development and reaffirmed the state's intention to initiate talks over Meghalaya's future rail connectivity. To look at the several issues of building railway lines in Byrnihat, Shillong, and other areas of the state, an all-party committee is currently bei...

Amid the long-pending demand to implement the Inner Line Permit in Meghalaya, the Centre has asked the state government to respond satisfactorily to a list of queries on the issues flagged. Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson, Paul Lyngdoh, said the Centre is not against the ILP idea, but it sought some answers to certain questions. “The challenge in facilitating a system like the ILP lies in Meghalaya being a transit route for Mizoram, Tripura, and certain districts of Assam,” he said on Friday. He said there have been several interactions with the Union Home Ministry, which feels Meghalaya already enjoys protections under the Sixth Schedule, Land Transfer Act, and autonomous district councils that are constitutionally mandated with powers. “However, this is not the end of the ro...

Police on Friday registered a suo motu FIR at Rynjah police station against five top leaders of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) for attempting to forcibly shut down the Director’s Administrative Block at NEIGRIHMS. The five HYC leaders against whom the FIR has been registered are Roy Kupar Synrem (president), Donboklang Kharlyngdoh (vice president), Rhembor G Saibon (general secretary), Issac W Basaiawmoit (secretary), and Enlang Sawian (education secretary). Police filed the suo motu FIR against the five HYC leaders under various sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The HYC leaders were picked up by the police when they were exiting the NEIGRIHMS premises following their failed meeting with Director, Nalin Mehta. After examining them and recording their sta...

International EDM heavyweights are set to light up the hills of Meghalaya as Sunburn’s Summer Fest makes its debut in Shillong on May 10, promising a grand fusion of global soundscapes and local vibrancy. Leading the festival lineup are psytrance legends Vini Vici, whose tribal-infused rhythms and electrifying drops are expected to shake the stage. Joining them is Dimitri Vegas, renowned for his high-octane performances and festival anthems, with a special set tailored for Shillong’s debut edition. Adding melodic depth are progressive house giants DubVision and Third Party from the UK, each bringing their signature emotional and energetic sound to the fest’s main stage. “This marks a new beginning for Sunburn,” said Karan Singh, CEO of Sunburn. “Shillong’s musical soul and breathtaking...