HYC nabs 4 suspected Bangladeshi nationals in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya

Shillong, April 21: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) today apprehended four suspected Bangladeshi nationals from Shella village along the Indo-Bangla border in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, even as it demanded that the state government seriously address the issue of illegal immigration into the state.

Informing this during a news conference, HYC president Roykupar Synrem said, “Today at around 8 am, members of the Shella unit of HYC apprehended the four persons coming from Dalia, located near the border fencing with Bangladesh. Being questioned, these people were informed that they had reached the Dalia locality last night and today they were supposed to go back to Shillong and then to Assam. They have produced EPIC cards, Aadhaar, and PAN Card as documentation proof.”

He added, “The suspected Bangladeshi nationals have claimed to visit Dalia as tourists, but could not tell the name of the house owner where they stayed last night. They also could not tell by what vehicle they came to the village.”

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Synrem informed that on checking them, it was found that one of the apprehended persons possessed two EPIC cards with different names (Samchul Hoque and Samchul Bor) issued on the same date by the electoral registration officer from Nagaon district, Assam.

“This has raised serious doubts in the minds of the HYC members. After checking their phones, one of the photographs they had was of the currency of Bangladesh. After not getting satisfactory reply from them on whether they are Indian citizens or not, our members have handed them over to the Shella police station,” he said adding, “I have also personally called the SP of East Khasi Hills district informing about this matter and he has sent the SDPO of Sohra to Shella PS to investigate and find out whether these people are genuine Indian citizens or not.”

“During interrogation, the SDPO said these people have informed the police that they were supposed to go to NEIGRIHMS for some treatment but they can’t tell how they reached Shella so that is something which created a lot of doubts in our mind and the Police department should take the matter very seriously by conducting thorough investigation on the matter,” he added further.

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Expressing concern over illegal immigration entering the state, Synrem said for the past few weeks, the HYC has received information from sources and people residing along the border that there has been a lot of movement of people from Bangladesh entering Indian territory.

Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement over large influx of infiltrators entering India through West Bengal with valid documents, the HYC president said, “If these people can get EPIC, Aadhaar or Pan Card from West Bengal or Assam or any other state then they can easily enter Meghalaya and once they come here, they will reside and after sometime they will become the residents of the state.”

“We don’t want that to happen, and therefore, we call upon the state government to take the issue of influx very seriously. If steps are not taken, we fear that a day will come when these people will get a residency in the state of Meghalaya and become voters and get all rights and privileges as citizens, and when they become the majority, our political rights and economic rights will be at stake,” he added.

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Further, Synrem informed that COMSO has written to the Chief Minister regarding the status of the ILP and MRSSA amendment bill, 2020, but has not received any reply from him.

(Newmai News Network)