Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Shillong Mihngi Circle on Tuesday night claimed to have driven away a group of suspected migrant labourers who were reportedly sleeping along a roadside at 4th Furlong in the Polo–Nongmynsong area.
According to a statement issued by the union, it received information on the night of June 30 about several individuals of “suspicious” identity sleeping by the roadside. KSU members then visited the spot and questioned the group.
During the verification, the individuals reportedly told the union that they had come to Meghalaya in search of work. However, the KSU alleged that when asked to produce documents proving their Indian citizenship or identity, they were unable to furnish any. The union further claimed that none of them possessed an Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC), raising concerns over their identity and intentions.
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The KSU said it immediately handed the individuals over to the police for further verification and necessary legal action. It also warned local residents against acting as agents or facilitators for undocumented persons entering the state.
The student body said it would continue carrying out similar verification drives across Khasi and Jaintia Hills in the coming days.
Expressing concern over what it described as the unchecked entry of migrants into Meghalaya, the KSU blamed the absence of stringent enforcement mechanisms. It reiterated its demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, stating that the long-pending measure could help regulate the entry of outsiders into the state.
The union also criticised the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, alleging that despite the law being in force for several years, it has not been effectively implemented. It further claimed that facilitation centres envisaged under the Act were instead being converted into food courts.
Questioning the authorities, the KSU asked who would be held accountable if law enforcement agencies failed to verify and deport undocumented persons handed over by the union to their places of origin.
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