Meghalaya will set up 7 checkpoints on Assam border.

Checkpoints On Assam Border

The Meghalaya cabinet on Tuesday approved setting up of seven posts along the Assam border. The decision was taken days after six people were killed on the disputed Assam-Meghalaya border.

A Border Outpost (BOP) will also be set up in Makroh village where six people were killed in firing. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said other BOPs would be set up along the Assam-Meghalaya border at Langpih, Lejadubi, Umwali, Muriap and Rani.
Sangma added, “The cabinet approved the proposal to set up seven BoPs in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region. Two of these outposts will be set up at Makroh and Tehvia villages along the inter-state border in the West Jaintia Hills district. ”

The existing BOPs in Patharakhma and Kyrshai would be upgraded into police stations and checkpoints on Assam border will increase, he said, adding that running each outpost would cost around Rs 2 crore annually.
Sangma said his government had also directed the state’s Director General of Police to visit some villages in the disputed border areas and submit a report.

Of the six people killed in the November 22 firing, five were from Meghalaya and one was a forest guard from Assam. Meghalaya reacted strongly to the incident and said “Assam Police and Assam Forest Guards entered Meghalaya and resorted to unprovoked firing”. After the firing incident, Assam-registered vehicles were attacked across Meghalaya.
On its part, the Assam government said its officials fired in self-defence when the forest party tried to stop a timber-smuggling truck.

“When the forest party officials stopped the truck, they were surrounded by unknown miscreants who resorted to violence. To save their lives, the forest party resorted to firing. Three civilians and a forest guard were killed in the incident. ” Assam Police said in a statement.