Daijiworld Media Network - Shillong

Shillong, Aug 9: In a rare and alarming midnight incident, armed men from Bangladesh allegedly crossed into Indian territory and attacked villagers in Rongdongai, a remote village in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district, officials confirmed on Saturday.

According to a senior Meghalaya Police official, a group of eight to nine armed intruders entered the village late Friday night, fired at locals, and stabbed a villager who had reportedly apprehended one of them. The situation escalated quickly before other villagers retaliated, forcing the attackers to flee back across the border.

In their hasty retreat, the assailants abandoned several items, including:

• An identity card of a Bangladesh police constable
• Handcuffs, a pistol holster, and radio sets
• Mobile phones, face masks, and a wire cutter
• An axe and Bangladeshi currency

Officials say suspected involvement of Bangladeshi police is under investigation, given the ID card recovered at the scene.

Rongdongai lies just 10 km from the international border, in a stretch known for its unfenced terrain and porous boundaries due to dense forests, rivers, and hills. Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, large portions of which remain vulnerable to illegal crossings.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and state police have since launched a joint combing operation in the area. Four individuals believed to be linked to the attack have been arrested, and their identities are currently being verified.

This incident comes just two days after eight other suspected Bangladeshi nationals were spotted at a stone quarry in the same district, further raising security concerns.

Authorities suspect that intruders often swim across water bodies or use underground culverts to bypass surveillance and fencing.

The infiltration attempt has triggered heightened security in the region, with officials treating the matter as a serious cross-border violation and potential breach of national security.