The East Jaiñtia Hills administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC to fight rampant smuggling.
The order covers movement of people along the international border with Bangladesh to deter those with the intention to cross over into or from the neighbouring country, those with the intention to commit illegal activities like smuggling of cattle and other goods. It applies to people moving on foot or in vehicles in public under 5km from the “border belt” from 6pm to 5am.
East Jaiñtia Hills Deputy Commissioner A Baranwal stated that the Border Security Force (BSF) is mandated to prevent trans-border crime, including smuggling, and any other illegal activities on the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The DC was informed by the BSF that the area is highly prone to smuggling of cattle and other items, such as betel nut, dry fish, biri, cigarettes, chai/patti, drugs, etc.
“Reports have been received from the BSF that the smugglers and other anti- national elements gather in large numbers near the international border during the night hours to smuggle aforesaid goods from India to Bangladesh and vice versa,” Baranwal said in the order.
He also said that members of various terrorist outfits and Rohingyas from Myanmar (who are denied refugee status by India) may also try to sneak into Indian territory at night.
“There has been a recent brutal murder of an Umkiang resident by Bangladeshi nationals by trespassing into the Indian border,” the East Jaintia Hills DC said.
On January 6, one Chiang Dkhar (50) of Umkiang died when a group of Bangladeshi miscreants attacked him in a betel nut plantation in Lumsoski, a few kilometres from Umkiang.
