A routine border pillar survey near Muktapur in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills briefly escalated into tension on Thursday after Bangladeshi locals misinterpreted the presence of security forces. Survey teams from both India and Bangladesh had assembled for a scheduled inspection, accompanied by personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The situation took a dramatic turn when Bangladeshi youths and children, playing nearby, panicked at the sight of uniformed personnel. This led to a heated exchange between locals from the Bangladesh side and personnel at the site, momentarily heightening tensions along the sensitive, unfenced international border.
“It was a routine survey and there were survey teams from both India and Bangladesh and the forces were just assisting,” said a BSF official, clarifying that the presence of security personnel was procedural.
Thanks to swift and coordinated intervention by both BSF and BGB teams, the matter was quickly defused. Security forces from both nations have since stepped up vigilance in the area to ensure calm prevails and to prevent any future misunderstanding.
