CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: The Hynñiewtrep Youths' Council (HYC) has sought a time-bound investigation into the reported detention of 27 Bangladeshi nationals in Assam who allegedly entered India through Meghalaya's Dawki sector.
The Council questioned how the group allegedly crossed the international border, travelled through Meghalaya and reached Assam without detection. It sought an investigation into the alleged entry route and whether any organised network facilitated their movement.
The HYC said civil society organisations had repeatedly raised concerns over vulnerabilities along parts of the India-Bangladesh border. It called for strengthened surveillance along vulnerable stretches, including footpaths and traditional crossing points, and better intelligence-sharing among the BSF, Meghalaya Police, Assam Police and other agencies.
The Council also sought monitoring of routes connecting border areas with the interior, particularly those linking Meghalaya and Assam. It demanded investigations into alleged touts, brokers, transporters, facilitators and intermediaries who may have assisted illegal cross-border movement.
The HYC called on the Meghalaya and Union governments to review security arrangements along the Dawki sector and other vulnerable stretches and fix responsibility wherever negligence or dereliction of duty was established.
Clarifying its position, the Council said its concern was not directed against any community but towards securing Meghalaya's international borders and preventing illegal migration. It said the reported incident should serve as a "wake-up call" and urged authorities to address security gaps and prevent recurrence.
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