M’laya Cabinet to Set up 7 Outposts Along Assam Border
Guwahati: The Meghalaya cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of seven outposts along the Assam border. The decision has been made days after six persons were slain near the contentious boundary between Assam and Meghalaya.
One border outpost (BOP) will also be set up in the Mukroh village where the six people were killed in firing. Other BOPs will be set up in Langpih, Lejadubi, Umwali, Muriap and Rani along the Assam-Meghalaya border, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.
Sangma continued, “The proposal to establish seven BoPs throughout the Khasi Jaintia Hills region was approved by the Cabinet. Two of these outposts will be built in the West Jaintia Hills district’s Mukroh and Tihwieh villages, which are located along the interstate border.”
He added that the Patharkhmah and Kyrshai BOPs already in operation will be converted to police stations, and that the annual operating costs for each outpost will be close to Rs 2 crore, as reported.
Sangma said that the state’s director general of police was also instructed to visit a few villages in the disputed border regions and submit a report.
Five residents of Meghalaya and one forest guard from Assam were among the six people killed in the shooting on November 22. Assam Police and Assam Forest Guards “entered Meghalaya and resorted to unjustified firing,” Meghalaya stated in response to the event. There were assaults against Assam-registered vehicles all over Meghalaya following the firing incident.
On its part, the Assam government said its personnel opened fire in self-defence when the forest party attempted to stop a truck smuggling timber.
“When the truck was stopped by the forest party personnel, they were gheraoed by unknown miscreants who resorted to violence. In order to save their lives, the forest party resorted to firing. In the incident, three civilians and one forest guard died,” said a statement from Assam Police.