Meghalaya: KSU East Jaintia Hills unit submits memorandum to DGP in state

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The KSU East Jaintia Hills District Unit on Thursday met Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) I. Nongrang and submitted to her a memorandum.

In the memorandum the students’ union for the immediate removal of the illegal BSF camp from Sonapyrdi bridge, Dona Umbluh and Ratacherra.

According to the KSU, local residents in these areas are facing undue harassment from the BSF personnel.

The students’ body said that the BSF camp was set up primarily to enhance security measures in the region and ensure the safety of the borders.

“While this objective is commendable, it is disheartening to observe that a section of the local population is experiencing various forms of harassment at the hands of the BSF personnel stationed at the camp,” the KSU said in its memorandum to the DGP.

The KSU also said that the deployment of the BSF along the National Highway is not in line with their designated role of securing the borders and that they should be stationed at the Bangladesh border to prevent illegal entry into Meghalaya.

The KSU unit also alleged unauthorized occupation by the BSF forces on private lands which constitute a blatant violation of the property rights of the landowners.

The KSU also alleged harassment of villagers due to the BSF's presence in Lejei, Lahaleii, Huroi, and Hingaria. They balleged that villagers are subjected to unnecessary checks during the rainy season, this results in goods getting wet and spoiled, causing significant inconvenience and financial loss.

The students’ body also alleged that there have been instances where by inebriated BSF personnel, have assaulted villagers for minor reasons, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

The union alleged that March 2, 2023 a group of BSF personnel in uniform and armed attacked a student of one Huroi village while he was on his way to school. The KSU also pointed out that notably, there have been tragic incidents, such as the murder of a woman near Donaskur and a Khasi man in Umkiang, where the BSF's presence was ineffective.

To union also asked the DGP to set up an additional anti infiltration check gate along the NH-6 particularly at Tongseng to curb illegal immigrants and combat the rise of drugs in the state.

Also Read: Khasi Students' Union (KSU), others threaten to resume anti-CAA stir (sentinelassam.com)

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