Politics / Northeast

SHILLONG, April 18: Meghalaya Chief Minister EK Mawlong today said Pyrdiwah village in East Khasi Hills district bordering Bangladesh was still under the occupation of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) since Monday, reports PTI. "Bangladesh Rifles is still continuing to occupy Pyrdiwah village since Monday," Mawlong told PTI here. Mawlong said he had informed LK Advani about the incident and the Union Home Minister had asked him "to send all the details." After a meeting with Cabinet members and high police officials, the Chief Minister said a fax was sent yesterday urging him to 'take proper steps in...

NEW DELHI, April 18: Sixteen Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were today killed when Bangladeshi troops ope-ned fire and resorted to shelling in the border village of Boraibari in Meghalaya, Home Secretary Kamal Pandey, said, reports PTI. The Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have been resorting to shelling on BSF posts as well as civilian areas, he told media persons quoting reports reaching here from BSF border camp. An international news agency quoting BDR chief Major General Fazlur Rahman reported from Dhaka earlier that one Bangladesh soldier was also killed and several...

GUWAHATI, April 18: Tension prevails in the Mankachar sub-division of Dhubri district following heavy exchange of fire between Bangladesh Rifles and Border Security Force personnel for more than eleven hours, in which at least 10 civilians were injured. Official sources said that the Bangladesh Rifles personnel started unprovoked firing at the Kakripara border outpost in Mankachar sub-division at around 4 am this morning, following which, the BSF personal also returned the fire. Sources said that according to information available here, the Bangladesh Rifles personnel even used mortars and one...

SHILLONG, April 17: Tension ran high along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya when Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) resorted to indiscriminate firing at Pyrdiwah camp of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Dawki sector of EastKhasi Hills district in the wee hours of Monday, official sources said today, reports PTI. BSF sources said here that they immediately retaliated and there was no report of any casualities or injuries on either side. The officiating commandant of the 155 battalion of the BSF rushed to the border and lodged a formal complaint with their BDR counterpart which was followed up by...

NEW DELHI, April 15: Even as growing activities of Pakistan's ISI from Nepalese soil are causing security concern for India, the Himalayan Kingdom has emerged as a safe haven for the militant groups from the Northeast, reports PTI. Blessed with logistic support from Pakistan's ISI, the NSCN(IM) leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah had been regular visitors to Kathmandu since 1992 and pursuing their activities, Intelligence sources said here. The sources said this potent Naga group had been sending its recruits for training at an institute, near Lalitpur. The NSCN(IM) is also reported...

IMPHAL, April 8: With no help from the state government and the Centre, the residents of Molcham, Khayansssssg and Yangoulein villages on the Indo-Myanmar border are living under the shadow of threats from the Myanmarese Army. Their immediate concern is the absence of any Indian security forces in the area. Manipur's Molcham valley, which has been embroiled in controversy for the past four decades, was in the news again after the Manipur Human Rights Commission took up a case of alleged torture of Indian villagers by the Myanmarese Army. Situated in Chandel district, Molcham had always been...

IMPHAL, April 7: With no help from the state government and the Centre, the residents of Molcham, Khayang and Yangoulein villages on the Indo-Myanmar border are living under the shadow of threats from the Myanmarese Army. Their immediate concern is the absence of any Indian security forces in the area. Manipur's Molcham valley, which has been embroiled in controversy for the past four decades, was in the news again after the Manipur Human Rights Commission took up a case of alleged torture of Indian villagers by the Myanmarese Army. Situated in Chandel district, Molcham had always been eyed by...

SHILLONG, April 6: The Meghalaya government has requested the Centre to complete fencing of the 423-km long international boundary as the fence has been of great help in checking illegal influx of Bangladeshis into the hill state, state Chief Minister E K Mawlong has said. The Union Government has intimated to the state government that fencing of an additional stretch of 201 km on the border will be completed by 2007 leaving only a stretch of 44 km to be fenced. During 2001-2002, the Government of India has projected an amount of Rs 32 crore for the border road and border fencing along the...

IMPHAL, April 4: Several political leaders in Manipur have expressed reservations against Union home minister L.K. Advani's objection to the extension of the unilateral ceasefire with the insurgent groups for another month. The state government had declared an unilateral ceasefire with all rebel outfits for a month in March. The Cabinet subsequently decided to extend the ceasefire for another month as per the recommendation of an all-party meet. But the Union home ministry's objection has now led to the resumption of military operations both by the Army and Assam Rifles. However, the Cabinet...

SHILLONG, April 3: The Meghalaya Government has requested the Centre to complete the entire fencing on the 423-km-long international boundary as the fence has been of great help in checking of illegal influx of Bangladeshis into the hill State, State Chief Minister EK Mawlong said today. The Union Government has intimated to the state government that fencing on an additional stretch of 201 km on the border will be completed by 2007 leaving only a stretch of 44 km to be fenced, he told the State Assembly. Asked about the steps taken for checking infiltration of foreigners into the State...