Tension gripped the border villages of Gasuapara Block in South Garo Hills after villagers of Gandibor Songona village caught a Bangladeshi national who had allegedly entered Indian territory to commit theft and handed him over to Gasuapara Police Station.
According to information received from the villagers, the incident occurred when a group of Bangladeshi nationals allegedly crossed over from Bangladesh side to steal cattle and commit dacoity. The alert villagers of Gandibor Songona managed to apprehend one intruder while the others managed to escape.
The villagers stated that the border village of Minenggre, which is located right along the India-Bangladesh international border, has been witnessing frequent incursions by Bangladeshi nationals for theft.
While only one person was caught this time, the villagers lodged an FIR at Gasuapara Police Station against the intruder after handing him over to the police, sources said.
It may be mentioned that a similar incident was reported on October 3, when a group of Bangladeshi dacoits entered to commit dacoity and one of them was caught by the villagers.
Following the repeated intrusions, a complaint was also filed with the Border Security Force (BSF), 50 Bn / 100 Bn, Gasuapara Border Out Post, South Garo Hills, demanding proper patrolling and security along the India-Bangladesh border.
Villagers expressed deep concern over their safety, stating that despite repeated complaints to secure the border area, no effective measures have been taken, leading to fear and insecurity among the border residents. They said that proper security arrangements are urgently needed in the border villages.
In recent years, villagers living along the border have reported incidents of theft of cattle, utensils, and even bikes from their houses. Due to the lack of action to stop such activities, the poor villagers living within Indian territory are living in constant fear and insecurity, villagers said in a complaint letter expressing their distress.
The villagers of Gasuapara area have appealed to the Meghalaya Government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the people living along the international border.