East Khasi Hills district administration of Meghalaya has also imposed night curfew to prevent any illegal movement of people at the international border (Bangladesh border).
District magistrate RM Kurbah in her order said, “in exercise of the powers conferred upon me under section 163 BNSS do hereby imposed night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am upto 200 meters from zero line (International border) prohibiting the following: movement of people at the International border with the intention to cross the International boundary with Bangladesh or sneak into the Indian territory.”
The order also prohibited unauthorized procession or unlawful assembly of 5 or more persons and carrying arms/other instruments which can be used as weapons including sticks/rods and stones in and around the Indo-Bangladesh border besides illegal, undesirable activities, smuggling of cattle, contraband goods, betel nuts, betel leaves, dry fish, bidis, cigarettes, chai patti etc.
“In view of the urgency of the matter this order has been made ex parte and it shall come into force with immediate effect and remain in force till further orders,” it also stated.
The district magistrate said that the order was passed in view of the current situation in Bangladesh and that there is every likelihood of cross border movement of unwanted elements, members of proscribe militant groups, smugglers and other illegal activities on the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The border areas of East Khasi Hills being unfenced are highly prone to infiltration by illegal migrants, members of organised crime having linkage to anti-national elements including armed insurgent groups who may gather in large numbers near the international border during the night hours to continue their nefarious activities.
Such illegal/undesirable activities if not prevented may lead to uncontrollable cross border infiltration resulting in breach of peace and tranquillity in the district/state and country as a whole, it added.
