Politics / Northeast

SHILLONG, April 25: The Bangla intrusions into Pyrdiwah village in Meghalaya has exposed the sinister designs of Bangladesh to create a 'greater Bangladesh', BJP general secretary in-charge of Northeast Border Area States, P B Acharya has warned. Speaking to newsmen here today, he cautioned that the entire country should remain fore-warned by the intrusions by a supposedly 'friendly' country. The incident is only the 'tip of the iceberg' and is an indication of the serious threat to the security and integrity of the entire Northeastern region, Acharya contended. 'The threat is really serious...

NEW DELHI, April 24: In a development that may raise the hackles of the human rights bodies, the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) has identified the Assam based Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) as among six Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) having links with the militant outfits. The fall out of the move is that all the state governments in the Northeastern Region have been alerted not to release any government funds to any NGO in the region without proper verification. It has been decided that the Union government would release funds to NGOs in the region only after physical verifications...

GUWAHATI, April 24: The two injured BSF jawans who were returned to India by the Bangladesh Rifles on Sunday night, were undergoing medical treatment and were not yet questioned on the methods of torture leading to their injury and killing of 16 of their colleagues by BDR on Wednesday last, according to R C Silkoti, commandant, BSF headquarters, Shillong, reports PTI. The two injured jawans Akshay Kumar and Bimal Kumar, admitted at the Battalion Hospital in Meghalaya's Tura, "were now under medical care and their questioning had not yet started as they were now being made to feel comfortable,"...

NEW DELHI, April 24: The BSF on Monday night said it was "not justified" for Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to change the status of the Indo-Bangla border by "using force" as the matter was pending before the Governments of the two countries, reports PTI. In a statement here, the BSF said its stand on demarcation of the border was clear that "since the transfer of adverse possession land is connected with demarcation of the complete border of India and Bangladesh, and the matter is pending with both the Governments, it is not justified on the part of BDR to try to change the status of the area...

AGARTALA, April 24: Close on the heels of the killing of 16 BSF men, the Bangladesh Rifles made an abortive bid to occupy a border outpost in Karimganj district, but were repulsed after the Indian border guards opened fire, a top BSF official said today, reports PTI. The BDR along with people in "plain clothes, who could be villagers", advanced on the Lathitilla border outpost in the district yesterday, BSF DIG (G) S Basumatary told reporters here. The BSF challenged them and opened fire, with the BDR and others with them beating a hasty retreat, the DIG BSF said. He said maximum alert was...

SHILLONG, April 23: Coal trade with Bangladesh has resumed after Bangladesh Rifles, whose incursion into Pyrdiwah left 16 BSF men dead early this week, gave assurance of safe return of drivers with their trucks, official sources here said today. With the situation on the international border returning to normal and assurances given by the BDR, 255 coal-laden trucks on April 20 crossed over the Bangladesh through Dawki checkgate, the sources said. As a result of the tension on the border, a huge amount of foreign exchange and about Rs 15 lakh as royalty was lost, they added. On an average, 150...

SHILLONG, April 23: The condition of the two wounded BSF men who were returned by Bangladesh Rifles yesterday was stated to be critical, RC Siloti, Headquarters Commandant, said. "The condition of injured constables Akshay Kumar and Bimal Kumar, who are admitted to the Battalion hospital in Tura, is stated to be critical," Silkoti told PTI over phone. Akshay Kumar and Bimal Kumar reached the 118 Battalion headquarters at Tura in West Garo Hills district on Sunday afternoon with the body of slain havildar Dhyan Chand, he said. "The cremation of the slain Havildar Dhyan Chand will take place at...

MANKACHAR, (Indo-Bangla border), April 23: 20 BSF men, who were attacked by Bangladesh rifles (BDR) on Wednesday, might have strayed into Bangladesh territory by mistake due to darkness in the night, according to Border Security Force DIG IJ Singh yesterday, reports PTI. "Twenty BSF men had gone for patrolling at Boroibari as there was red alert because of the situation prevailing along the Dawki border in Meghalaya along Bangladesh," Singh told a group of visiting journalists. He said that the two BSF jawans who had managed to escape from BDR custody had reported to the higher authorities...

MANKACHAR (Indo-Bangla Border), April 23: There is visible tension in the Boraibari border outpost area, in the adverse possession of Bangladesh, though the situation on the international boundary along Assam and Meghalaya was reported to be normal today, reports PTI. This correspondent who visited the border areas and Boraibari, where 16 BSF jawans were killed and another two injured by Bangladesh Rifles on Wednesday, found Boraibari village almost deserted with a few men guarding cattle. The men refused to talk or even respond and ran away when hailed. The people, who pay revenue in Dhubri...

NEW DELHI, April 23: India today declared it will not take "lightly the defilement of (BSF) men in uniform" and asked Bangladesh to act against the perpetrators of such "criminal adventurism" to restore confidence and trust, reports PTI. "Criminal adventurism is a crime. India will not accept defilement of men in uniform. We will not take it lightly," External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said winding up a day-long discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the gruesome killing of BSF personnel on the Indo-Bangladesh border. Dismissing members' charge of intelligence failure, Jaswant Singh said "the...