Advocate alerts Union Ministry of Home Affairs on murder of Indians by Bangladeshi Nationals

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 12, 2024

Kynjaimon Amse an advocate from East Jaintia Hills District has apprised the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the murder of two Indians in Indian territory by Bangladeshi Nationals while reprimanding the Border Security Force (BSF) for their failure to check illegal entry and theft by the Bangladeshi nationals into the Indian side along East Jaintia Hills District.

In a letter to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Amse informed that on 6th of this month at Balisar, Lumsokie village, Umkiang, East Jaintia Hills District around 15-16 Bangladeshi entered Indian territory with an intention to commit theft of betel nut inside the Indian territory.

He further said that the Bangladeshi intruder met two Indian national namely Rahul Pohtam and Sylvanus Dhar who were guarding their betel nuts garden and attacked two Indians with sharp and long knives.

He also said the two Indians tried to defend themselves by firing warning shots in the air but still they were chased and attacked by the Bangladeshi nationals.

Amse said that the Bangladeshi Nationals got hold of Sylvanus Dhar and attacked him brutally with long knives.

He also said they slit his neck, attacked his eyes and axed his right hand and cut him almost every part of his body and he died a painful and terrible death on the spot.

Amse asserted there have been increased in the case of theft by Bangladeshi nationals near the border fencing causing great financial loss to the Indian people having betel nut gardens near the Indo-Bangla Border.

“Because of the continuous theft, people themselves have to stay in the jungle to guard their produce from the hands of Bangladeshi people,” the letter said. 

Amse said the Border Security Force (BSF) posted in the district has failed to check the security of the border along the Umkiang areas and Lamasaki in East Jaintia Hills District.

 The letter said there is no doubt that some smugglers from India side may have been involved in the illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals but this cannot be the justification for the regular entry of Bangladeshi nationals into Indian side particularly in Lumsoskie, Umkiang, Dona Skur and Ratachera.

The letter said that BSF in and around Umkiang border areas instead of making the border secure and prevent illegal entry of Bangladeshi are seen to be more interested along the national highway-6 in East Jaintia Hills District than the actual border areas.

In order to prevent smuggling, BSF has manned the NH-6 at two location 24*7 which is acceptable but in doing so the BSF failed to check illegal entry and theft by the Bangladeshi nationals into the Indian side.

The letter informed on the 12th September last year, Priskila Suchiang was also brutally killed at Dona Skur village, East Jaintia Hills District by suspected Bangladeshi national and after killing her, they again fled Bangladesh inspite of the fact that the border is manned by the BSF.

Amse maintained that he had personally shared the illegal entry issue with one senior BSF official in a meeting called by the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District last year 2023.

This is a matter of great concern if Bangladeshi can enter India easily, commit murder and theft and go back without coming under the scanner of the border security force and as such it has to be addressed.

BSF has to assure the people especially those who have agricultural work along the Indo-Bangla border and there is a need to increase the number of border man posts especially where there are water tunnels to prevent illegal entry of Bangladeshi.

Though, it is understood that it is not easy to fully manned and check illegal entry, Amse called for extensive patrolling and setting up of post at crucial locations.