Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that evolving circumstances in neighbouring Bangladesh are influencing the security situation in the state, even as sporadic incidents resembling militant activities continue to surface from time to time.
Speaking to reporters here, Sangma noted that security dynamics in the region are no longer the same as before.
“We have to realise and remember that the situation across the border in Bangladesh is not the same as it was. I don’t want to go into too much detail because it is a matter of national security, but all I can say is that different activities and developments across the border are emerging, which are changing the overall dynamics,” he said.
The Chief Minister explained that the presence of armed elements in Meghalaya often fluctuates like “a graph going up and down,” but many of these cases appear more like localised criminal activity rather than structured militant operations.
“Many times, what initially looks like a militant group turns out to be just dacoits or thieves,” Sangma remarked.
He also clarified that recent statements made by Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang had been partly reported, leading to speculation about a possible revival of militancy in the state.
The DGP had said that while inputs regarding recruitment attempts by militants are being monitored, concrete evidence of regrouping has not yet been found.
“The reality is that intelligence inputs keep coming in every day. We verify them before reaching conclusions. The situation is critical mainly because of developments in Bangladesh, and we are monitoring them very closely,” Sangma said.
His remarks came days after Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma raised concerns at a meeting of the State Security Commission, alleging that attempts at regrouping by militant outfits were underway.
Meghalaya had witnessed decades of insurgency led by different groups, though most major outfits were weakened or neutralised in recent years.
Security agencies, however, remain vigilant about possible cross-border influences and sporadic attempts at revival.
(IANS)
