There is a risk that Meghalaya could become the victim of jihadi activities, given its location squeezed between Assam and Bangladesh and police have been put on high alert to stave off any such eventuality.
“After receiving inputs of jihadi activities in Assam, we have alerted all the district police stations and outposts, particularly those in areas bordering Bangladesh,” Director General of Police Lajja Ram Bishnoi told reporters today. “As we know, Meghalaya has a 433km border with Bangladesh, so we are alert and on the job.”
In Assam, ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), more than 40 people with suspected links to jihadi activities have been arrested since March.
Assam Chief Minister had said that the state was becoming a “hotbed” of jihadi activity, with five alleged teams having links to Al Qaeda and a Bangladesh terror group, Ansarul Bangla, having been broken up by police in the past few months.
The Meghalaya DGP was also asked about the existence of terrorist sleeper cells in the state. “There is no concrete information that has come to our notice on this but we are keeping watch on the activities of these elements,” he said on the subject.
Meanwhile, pressure groups have also latched onto the perceived threat to Meghalaya. The Hynniewtrep Youths Council (HYC) has said that, with the state also sharing an 885km border with Assam, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government would have to accept the blame if a terror attack is carried out on the state’s soil as it has failed, the HYC alleged, to adequately pressure the central government to introduce the Inner Line Permit (ILP) that would keep a track of all those who enter the state, be they Indian or foreign.
