Meghalaya: Five Bangladeshi nationals held in West Jaintia Hills district

At least 10 persons, including five Bangladeshis, have been arrested in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district, officials said on June 27. 

Acting on a tip-off, BSF troops apprehended five Bangladeshis and five Indians on Monday, including the driver of the vehicle in which they were travelling together on the Dawki-Amlarem highway, a BSF spokesperson said. He said the Bangladeshi nationals had illegally crossed the border and entered the West Jaintia Hills district. 

During a preliminary investigation, the Bangladeshi nationals told the authorities that they had crossed over to India to settle down permanently, the BSF official said. 

Also Read: Assam-Meghalaya border residents demand re-transfer of disputed areas to Meghalaya

The apprehended persons were handed over to police who arrested them under various laws. 

The BSF has apprehended 26 Bangladeshis since January.

On the otherhand, as the border talks between the two states Meghalaya and Assam are ongoing, Khasi and Pnar villages under the disputed Block-1 area have demanded the state government to re-transfer Block-1 back to the state of Meghalaya. 

There are 36 Khasi and Pnar villages which fall under the Block-1 area. 

The delegation of the village leaders along with Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) MDC from Barato, Aibor Shadap on Monday met Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to discuss on the matter.