24-07-2025
Guard against infiltration amid Assam eviction drive: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma
GUWAHATI
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has directed officials to coordinate with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and traditional heads to ensure that individuals evicted by the Assam government do not enter the State.
on Thursday (July 24, 2025), Mr. Sangma convened a high-level meeting with all Deputy Commissioners to review security and surveillance measures along the interstate border. Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang, Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang and other top officials were present.
'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,' the Chief Minister said after the meeting.
Emphasising the need for heightened vigilance along the border, Mr. Sangma called for coordination among district officials, traditional heads, NGOs, and members of Village Defence Parties to prevent any illegal movement or infiltration, especially in vulnerable regions.
Earlier, a directive issued by the State's Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Shakil P. Ahamed, said, 'In view of the ongoing eviction drive against illegal immigrants undertaken by the Government of Assam and to prevent possible influx of the displaced individuals to the State as a consequence, all Deputy Commissioners are hereby directed to keep vigilant and take necessary measures to ensure the potential influx is kept in check and law and order is maintained.'
Meghalaya has expressed concern over the possible 'spillover' effects of Assam's eviction drives, particularly in the western regions bordering Goalpara and South Salmara-Mankachar districts. A major eviction operation, during which one person was killed in police firing, was conducted recently in Goalpara's Paikan Reserve Forest.
Meghalaya is the third North-eastern State after Nagaland and Manipur to instruct its border district authorities to prevent the entry of individuals evicted from various categories of government land in Assam.
Nagaland, in particular, has intensified monitoring efforts. Officials in the State's Niuland district, which borders Assam's Golaghat district, said that security personnel had 'deported' individuals who had arrived in 'more than 200 vehicles'.
The Assam government is also conducting a survey of forested areas in Golaghat's Uriamghat region in preparation for an eviction drive. Several encroachers are reported to have left the area in anticipation.
Since June, more than 50,000 people, mostly Muslims with roots in Bangladesh, have reportedly been evicted from various parts of Assam.
