Shillong, July 26: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has directed officials to tighten border surveillance and coordinate with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and traditional heads to prevent the influx of individuals evicted from neighbouring Assam, following a series of eviction drives targeting illegal settlers.
The directive was issued during a high-level security review meeting on Thursday (July 24), which included Deputy Commissioners, Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang, Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang, and other senior officials.
“The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the overall effect of the recent eviction drives in Assam, particularly in areas close to the border with Meghalaya,” Sangma said after the meeting. He stressed the need for coordinated vigilance involving district officials, traditional village heads, NGOs, and Village Defence Parties, especially in vulnerable areas.
The state’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Shakil P. Ahamed, had earlier instructed all Deputy Commissioners to remain alert and take necessary steps to maintain law and order and monitor any potential influx.
Meghalaya has raised concerns over the “spillover” effects of Assam’s eviction campaign, particularly in western border districts near Goalpara and South Salmara-Mankachar. A recent eviction in Goalpara’s Paikan Reserve Forest led to the death of one person in police firing.
The northeastern state is the third after Nagaland and Manipur to issue directives aimed at preventing the entry of displaced individuals from Assam. In Nagaland’s Niuland district, which borders Assam’s Golaghat, officials said security personnel had deported individuals who had arrived in over 200 vehicles.
Meanwhile, Assam continues its crackdown on illegal encroachments, with surveys underway in forested areas such as Uriamghat in Golaghat district ahead of further eviction drives. Local reports indicate that many alleged encroachers have fled in anticipation.
Since June, more than 50,000 people, primarily Muslims of Bangladeshi origin, have reportedly been evicted from various parts of Assam, drawing criticism from rights groups and sparking regional tensions. Officials in Meghalaya said border monitoring will remain a priority to safeguard the state’s security and social stability.
