Bangladeshis attack Indian border outpost in Meghalaya; 1 BSF jawan injured

Suspected Bangladeshi nationals have attacked a border outpost in Meghalaya, assaulting two BSF jawans and snatching their weapons, resulting in injuries to one of them, police said.

Another group from the neighbouring country barged into the house of a Meghalaya resident and looted money, mobile phones and a gun, besides injuring the head of the family, a senior officer said.

The incidents took place at around midnight on Wednesday at Amdoh and Rongtila, which are about five km from the India-Bangladesh border, West Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Lakador Syiem said.

"A group of 10-15 Bangladeshi nationals allegedly surrounded two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near the Rongtila border outpost (BOP), assaulted them and snatched their weapons, causing injuries to one of them," he said.

The weapons snatched from the BSF personnel were later recovered from a nearby forest, Syiem said.

Prior to the incident, another Bangladeshi group had barged into the house of Pratap Bareh at Amdoh village near the Rongtila BOP and looted money, mobile phones and a gun, he said.

Bareh had fired a round at the intruders in self- defence before his gun was snatched and he was assaulted, Syiem said.

Both Bareh and the injured BSF jawan were taken to Dawki Primary Health Centre (PHC).

The deputy inspector general of police (Eastern Range) met the injured persons and visited the places of occurrence along with the district deputy commissioner and senior officers of the BSF and police.

After the incidents, the BSF lodged a protest against the intrusion of cross-border criminals from Bangladesh during a flag meeting with its counterpart, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).

The BGB has promised to intensify patrolling to ensure that no Bangladeshi national crossed over the international border with India, a senior BSF official said.

The incident comes a week after another group of persons, also suspected to be from Bangladesh, attacked a car at an area 10 km inside India and decamped with money and mobile phones after injuring the occupants.

Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, also the local MLA, condemned the incidents.

"I condemn the dastardly and daring attacks on the BSF and villagers living close to the India-Bangladesh border and urge the authorities concerned to step up vigil and thwart attempts to create fear among the border residents," he said.