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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Fifth suspect arrested after cross-border stabbing in Meghalaya
Shillong: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday arrested a fifth suspect after an armed gang from across the Bangladesh border stabbed a man, allegedly for trying to block their movement in Indian territory, in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district on Friday night. The suspects have been caught from different locations — the first two from the vicinity of Khonjoy on the night of the attack. (Representative photo) The August 9 attack took place in Khonjoy village (HT's initial report says Rongdongai village) under the Nongjri–Nonghyllam sector near the Bangladesh border. According to the South West Khasi Hills District (SWKH) police, a group of about nine Bangladeshi nationals — armed with weapons including a firearm — crossed into Indian territory illegally under the cover of darkness. The victim, Balsrang A. Marak, was assaulted and stabbed, possibly for trying to block their movement. The gang fled soon after but did not immediately return to Bangladesh. BSF inspector general (Meghalaya frontier) O.P. Upadhaya said the latest arrest was made during ongoing combing operations in dense and difficult forest terrain along the Indo-Bangladesh border. 'The operation shows the great synergy between BSF, police and local public. Large numbers of BSF troops are engaged in combing operations in a very dense, difficult and vast forest area which is extremely treacherous. We are committed to the security of the border population,' he said, adding, 'The border may be long, but our vigilance must be longer. We are stepping up patrols, but communities remain the first barrier.' Also Read: Man stabs Meghalaya woman to death in front of her father 'The suspects have been caught from different locations — the first two from the vicinity of Khonjoy on the night of the attack, the third from Ranikor, the fourth from Mawpyllun, and the fifth from the border forests near Pyrdiwah today,' a police officer, requesting anonymity, said. The security forces have seized pistols, machetes, handcuffs, Bangladeshi currency, wire cutters, masks, radio sets, mobile phones, cash, bags, clothes, and other personal belongings from the suspects, including an ID card of Marufur Rahman, allegedly a Bangladesh police officer. 'The armed intruders, suspected to be Bangladeshi nationals, attacked a villager with sharp weapons and fled towards the unfenced border,' South West Khasi Hills superintendent of police (SP) Banraplang Jyrwa said. Also read: Tension at Assam-Meghalaya border after mob attacks Karbi plantation site 'This was precision teamwork between forces and villagers. They didn't just alert us — they physically caught one of the armed men,' SP Jyrwa added. A resident of Khonjoy said, 'Villagers remain fearful after the incident. We have always lived with the risk of cross-border crime. The government needs to take stronger steps.' Chief minister Conrad K. Sangma, three days earlier, reiterated that around 40–45 km of Meghalaya's border with Bangladesh remains unfenced, making such intrusions possible.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Four Bangladeshi men held after armed robbery attempt in Meghalaya
Four members of a nine-member Bangladeshi gang were caught after an armed robbery attempt in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district early on Saturday (August 9, 2025). Police said the gang members, armed with pistols and sharp weapons, forced their way into a shop at Rongdangai, a village in the district bordering Bangladesh. The miscreants allegedly threatened one Balsrang A. Marak, who was sleeping inside, at gunpoint and demanded the phone number of the shop owner. The man escaped from their clutches after they tried to abduct him and ran to his house. The Bangladeshi men chased him and fired a few rounds at his house. 'The miscreants thrashed the man after the panic-struck members of his family opened the door,' a police officer said. At around 2.15 a.m., a resident of the adjoining Khonjoy village informed the police that some armed men were approaching his house. The miscreants fled under the cover of darkness as soon as a police team reached the site. 'Our team recovered an axe, a screwdriver, and an identity card of a Bangladeshi police constable,' the officer said. Awakened by the commotion, the villagers caught one of the miscreants and handed him over to the police. He was identified as one Mansur Akhtar of Bangladesh. Later, a joint team of the police and the Border Security Force apprehended three more Bangladeshi miscreants from a jungle along the India-Bangladesh border. The police said efforts were on to apprehend the remaining five members of the gang. The injured man was sent to a local health centre for a medical check-up, the police added.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Meghalaya: Man stabbed by armed gang from across Bangladesh border
Shillong: An armed gang from across the Bangladesh border stabbed a man allegedly for trying to block their movement in the Indian territory in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district on Friday night. One of the Bangladeshi gang members arrested in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district . Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya Frontier inspector general O P Upadhaya said, '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 attack took place in Rongdongai village under the Nongjri–Nonghyllam sector near the Bangladesh border. According to SWKH police, a group of about nine Bangladeshi nationals — armed with weapons including a firearm — crossed into Indian territory illegally under the cover of darkness. Their target appears to have been far more calculated than a random intrusion. The victim, identified as Balsrang A. Marak, was assaulted and stabbed, possibly for trying to block their movement. The gang fled soon after but did not immediately return to Bangladesh. The items recovered from the scene include Bangladeshi currency, communication equipment such as walkie-talkies and chargers, and an identity card belonging to the Bangladesh police. This has led authorities to suspect that the attackers may have links to rogue law enforcement elements across the border. 'We strongly believe this group entered with the intention of abducting locals for ransom,' said a senior police officer in the know of things. 'The level of preparation, the type of equipment, and their movements suggest an organised gang, not petty criminals,' added the officer. Earlier this week, chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had assured that fencing work on the broder was nearly complete — 80–90% of the 444 km border already sealed — but admitted that the remaining 40–45 km is vulnerable. Of that, about 4–5 km still face strong objections from local communities, leaving small but exploitable openings for cross-border movement. The attack has reignited calls for urgent sealing of the remaining stretches. But as the chief minister himself noted earlier this week, fencing in these final areas is complicated by difficult terrain, riverine crossings, and community concerns about losing farmland and water access. For those living on the frontlines, however, the fear now outweighs those objections.
