BSF on alert in Meghalya after encroachment bid

The BSF has put its troops on alert on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya following an encroachment bid by Bangladeshis on a disputed area along the international border.

Dawki (Meghalaya), June 30 (PTI) The BSF has put its troops on alert on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya following an encroachment bid by Bangladeshis on a disputed area along the international border.

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BSF sources said some Bangladeshis had entered the Nongkhen area adjacent to Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district on Friday last and started tilling the land.

While the Bangladeshis were chased out by the BSF troops, the border guards on Saturday held a flag meeting with the Bangaldesh Rifles (BDR) to discuss measures to ease tension and stop such intrusion by Bangladeshis into Indian territory.

Another meeting would be held between authorities of the two border guards on July 4 to discuss maintenance of the status quo of the "areas under adverse possession", sources said.

An official said the situation is normal now.

Currently, there are 551.8 acres of Bangladeshi land under "adverse possession" of India while 226.81 acres of Indian land is under "adverse possession" of Bangladesh. These areas were created when the two countries demarcated the international boundary in the mid-1960s.