Armed Bangladeshi Gang Assaults Meghalaya Villager, Caught After Midnight Hunt
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Meghalaya Police captured four armed Bangladeshi nationals who allegedly crossed into Indian territory, stabbed a villager, and attempted to drag him across the border before an escape and midnight manhunt that led to their arrest.
The brazen attack unfolded on Friday night in Rongdongai village, South West Khasi Hills, just a few hundred metres from the Bangladesh border.
Police said a gang of eight to nine armed men slipped into Indian territory under cover of darkness, armed with knives and at least one firearm, reported NDTV.
Their target was Balsrang A Marak, a shopkeeper who operates near the frontier.
According to police, the gang stormed into his shop while he was asleep, handcuffed him, and began marching him toward the border.
'They would have slit my throat," Marak later told police, recounting how he managed to break free and sprint into a nearby home as the gang fired shots at him in the dark.
BSF Inspector General OP Upadhyay described the assault as 'brazen," saying, 'We have arrested four of them and will arrest all of them. Combing operations are on with BSF, police, and local residents working together."
The captured suspects, Mefus Rehman, 35; Jangir Alom, 25; Meruphur Rahman, 32; and Saem Hussain, 30, were apprehended after a high-speed foot chase through forested terrain.
Three were cornered by BSF and police after warning shots were fired, while villagers nabbed the fourth.
Before being caught, the intruders dumped their weapons, Bangladeshi currency, walkie-talkies, chargers, and even an identity card belonging to a Bangladesh police officer, raising suspicions of links to rogue law enforcement elements across the border.
Authorities say the rest of the gang remains at large.
'This season has seen a surge in cattle smuggling, with criminals also making illegal incursions to loot natural resources like sand and stone. Large stretches of the riverine border are difficult to patrol, and miscreants are exploiting that terrain," Upadhyay warned.
Security forces have intensified vigilance along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier, deploying specialised teams and advanced surveillance to intercept future incursions.
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
29 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Publicis sues CCI for denying case files in ad firms' cartelisation probe
Publicis has sued India's antitrust watchdog for denying access to case files in a high-profile price-fixing investigation of ad agencies, after the French group failed to get the probe stalled until it could review the documents, court filings show. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) shook India's near-$30 billion media and entertainment sector in March with dawn raids at WPP's GroupM, Dentsu, Publicis, Omnicom and many other agencies over suspected collusion over publicity rates and discounts. Details of cartel cases are kept confidential in India, but Reuters has reported that the CCI's initial assessment found the firms used a WhatsApp group to coordinate and agree on pricing, entered into secret pacts, and colluded with broadcasters to deny business to agencies that didn't comply. Concerned the CCI has not responded to its requests in recent months to provide access to case files, Publicis approached the Delhi High Court on August 11 asking judges to order the watchdog to accede to its requests, according to its non-public filing reviewed by Reuters on Thursday. Publicis and its employees in India are "unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence in the absence of the case records", it said in the filing. The CCI did not respond to Reuters queries, and the court is likely to hear Publicis' case next week. The filing was made by TLG India, which its court papers said "is the legal entity that houses majority of the advertising business of the Publicis group in India". The antitrust investigation was triggered by Dentsu disclosing alleged industry malpractices to the CCI in February 2024 under the regulator's leniency program, which allows lesser penalties for firms that share evidence of malpractice. Publicis is the first company to file a lawsuit related to the high-profile CCI investigation in court. Filings showed the company urged the CCI in July that "further investigation remain in abeyance till" it is granted inspection of case records. CCI investigations typically take several months. The regulator has powers to impose financial penalties on the media agencies of up to three times their profit or 10 per cent of an Indian entity's global turnover, whichever is higher, for each year of wrongdoing. Publicis' court filing also showed the CCI in July asked for a brief note from the company about its business model, and how operations are coordinated with the parent entity. On August 4, the CCI issued summons to Publicis' South Asia chief Anupriya Acharya to appear before investigators, and provide documents such as copies of key contracts involving Publicis and its Indian entities, including on revenue sharing. Acharya did not respond to Reuters queries, and Publicis has asked the court to quash the summon.
New Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
16 BSF personnel get gallantry medals for Operation Sindoor
NEW DELHI: Sixteen Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have been awarded gallantry medals for displaying "conspicuous bravery" and "unmatched valour" during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. The medals for gallantry (GM) for these troops, some of whom destroyed enemy surveillance cameras while others neutralised drone attacks, were announced by the Union government on the eve of the 79th Independence Day. The paramilitary force is tasked with guarding the 2,290-km-long India-Pakistan International Border (IB), apart from the Line of Control (LoC), under the Army's operational control along the western flank of the country. "This Independence Day, 16 Brave Seema Praharis (border guards) are being awarded Gallantry Medals for their conspicuous bravery & unmatched valour, for being resolute & steadfast during the Ops Sindoor. The medals are a testament to the Nation's faith & trust reposed in India's First Line of Defence: The Border Security Force," the BSF said in a social media post. Under Operation Sindoor undertaken by the three defence forces along with the BSF on the border, India targeted terrorist and military facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from May 7 to 10 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Two BSF personnel were killed in action while seven were injured during the operation.
News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Delhi: 9 held for flaunting, possessing illegal arms; 24 pistols seized
New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) Ahead of Independence Day, nine individuals, including suspected members of the Neeraj Bawana gang, were held in Delhi for flaunting illegal arms on social media and allegedly possessing a large cache of weapons, officials said on Thursday. According to the police, on the intervening night of August 12 and 13, multiple teams, acting on a tip-off, zeroed in on the suspects who had allegedly been displaying firearms on social media. The crackdown, based on patrolling inputs, led to the recovery of one semi-automatic pistol, 23 country-made pistols, and 28 cartridges from the accused, the official added. 'Ahead of Independence Day, we intensified our cyber monitoring to identify such criminals. Dedicated teams were deployed to track and apprehend them," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami said in a statement. The officer further stated that three accused — Yameen alias Joni (28), Shri Ram alias Chotu (21), and Aaditya (19) — were caught from Shahbad Dairy, NIA, and Bhalswa Dairy areas. Nine country-made pistols, a semi-automatic pistol, and 15 live cartridges were recovered from them. Two others — Aakash (21) and Amarjeet alias Happy (26) — were nabbed from Narela and Bawana, respectively. Five pistols and six live cartridges were seized from them. In another set of operations, four men — Sonal Mishra (23), Momin Khan (25), Noor Hasan (26), and Anand alias Mitthu (36) — were arrested from Shahbad Dairy, JJ Colony in Bawana and Nathupura. The police recovered a pistol and two cartridges from Mishra, a pistol and a cartridge each from Khan and Hasan, and a pistol with two cartridges from Mitthu. Yameen alias Joni, with three previous involvements in robbery and hurt cases, is allegedly an associate of criminal Sanju Sehrawat and linked to the Neeraj Bawana gang. While Shri Ram and Aaditya allegedly used to flaunt firearms on social media to instil fear, Aakash and Amarjeet, both from the Narela-Bawana belt, were allegedly active in illegal arms circulation, the police said. Sonal Mishra has a prior record of 14 cases, including robbery, snatching, theft, and offences under the Arms Act, while Momin Khan has four past cases under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. Noor Hasan has a staggering 50 criminal cases to his name, the police mentioned, adding that Anand alias Mitthu also has a criminal history. Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the weapons, the police stated. PTI BM BM MPL MPL view comments First Published: August 14, 2025, 19:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
