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Published : 07 Jun 2026, 07:20 PM
Residents of a village on the India-Bangladesh border in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya have protested the proposed border fencing alignment, saying it would leave their community isolated outside the security barrier, according to Hindustan Times.
Villagers of Lyngkhong, located near the zero line in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district, staged a demonstration on Sunday, the Indian English-language daily said.
They submitted a memorandum to local authorities demanding that fencing be built along the border itself rather than further inside Indian territory, it added.
“We are not against border fencing, but we want the fence to be erected at the zero line so that our village remains inside India and within the fenced area,” village head Ramu was quoted by PTI as saying.
Residents said the current plan would place the village outside the fence, raising concerns over access, security and the settlement’s future.
Rima Khongsdir, a local, said villagers feared being cut off from the rest of the country if the project proceeded.
Indian officials said fencing work would continue as part of efforts to strengthen security along the Bangladesh frontier.
Meghalaya shares a 444km border with Bangladesh, with less than 80km still unfenced due to terrain and local objections.
The protest comes as India moves to tighten border monitoring in neighbouring Tripura.
During a visit to the state on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed that Border Security Force (BSF) surveillance cameras along the Bangladesh border be upgraded and linked to district administrations, according to a government statement cited by Hindustan Times.
The new model, which officials said would first be implemented in Tripura before being expanded to other border states, aims to integrate local civil administrations with the BSF in border management.
Shah also instructed authorities to monitor financial transactions, major construction projects and land dealings in border areas, and ordered a review of land records from the past five years.
He called for training initiatives for border residents to help counter threats linked to narcotics trafficking and illegal arms, involving local officials, police and BSF personnel.
According to the Hindustan Times report, Indian authorities are also discussing a proposal with Bangladesh to allow single-row fencing along the zero line in areas where settlements could otherwise be affected, although no decision has yet been taken.
