Meghalaya has imposed night curfews along the Indo-Bangladesh border in East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts to prevent cross-border infiltration, smuggling, and militant activity.

The measures come amid heightened concerns over the vulnerability of unfenced stretches of the international boundary.

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In East Khasi Hills, District Magistrate R M Kurbah issued an order enforcing a curfew from 8 PM to 6 AM within a one-kilometre belt from the international border.

The directive, passed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), cites increased risks posed by members of banned militant groups, smugglers, and other anti-national elements.

The order notes that these individuals may attempt to assemble under the cover of darkness to carry out unlawful activities.

The curfew prohibits unauthorised movement near the border during night hours, bans the gathering of five or more persons carrying potential weapons like sticks or stones, and outlaws the transportation or smuggling of cattle, betel nut, dry fish, cigarettes, and other contraband goods. The order is effective immediately and will remain in force for two months unless withdrawn earlier.

A similar order has been issued in West Jaintia Hills district, where District Magistrate Abhinav Kumar Singh has declared a nightly curfew along a 200-metre belt from the Zero Line of the Indo-Bangladesh border.

This order, also in effect from 8 PM to 6 AM, is aimed at preventing illegal cross-border movement and thwarting the activities of armed groups and organised crime syndicates that may exploit the region’s porous terrain.

Both curfew orders have been issued ex parte, without prior public consultation, due to the urgency of the security situation.

Meghalaya shares a 443-kilometre-long international boundary with Bangladesh, nearly 70 per cent of which remains unfenced.

The rugged topography, dense forests, and scattered settlements along the border have long posed challenges to surveillance and patrolling.

Security agencies, including the Border Security Force (BSF), local police, and intelligence units, have been directed to step up patrols and enforcement in the curfew-affected areas.

Residents of border villages have been urged to cooperate with the authorities and report any suspicious movement or unusual activity.

The government has emphasised that these measures are temporary and necessary to maintain peace and national security in sensitive areas.

The focus, officials say, is on preventing infiltration, disrupting smuggling routes, and deterring potential threats to law and order.