Shillong , Jan 9: The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded from the state government to create a separate battalion for the Directorate of Infiltration (DOI) to prepare for the state to properly implement anti-influx mechanisms in letter and spirit including the Inner Line Permit (ILP) which is yet to be approved by the Centre.

The demand was made by the HYC when its delegation met the Director of the DOI, O. Passi and other police officials on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, HYC president, Robertjune Kharjahrin said, in the light of the recent attacks by Bangladeshi nationals on villagers in the international border, the delegation has enquired as to where the DOI is lacking as it has also been tasked to prevent infiltration.

According to him, DOI has been mandated to collect intelligence from all possible quarters including headman and other village officials about infiltrators.

He informed that it was learnt that one of the main problems faced by the directorate has been the shortage of manpower, because the same manpower in the district police is being deployed in the directorate.

“Although over 3,000 foreigners have been detected and pushed back as per records of the directorate, we however felt that its performance is still not up to the mark. We want to see that the directorate should do its best irrespective of the shortcomings,”

Kharjahrin said that the HYC has decided to soon meet the home minister James K Sangma for his intervention into the matter.

“When we meet him (HM), we would demand from the state government to first segregate the district police and the directorate and to consider creating a separate battalion for the directorate,” he said.

The HYC leader suggested that in the meantime, the government can also engage the Special Force-10 to conduct regular joint patrolling with the BSF in the border.

Stressing the need for the state government to start building up resources to ensure safety and security of the state and its citizens, Kharjahrin also reminded that Meghalaya is a state which is demanding implementation of the ILP to check influx and illegal immigration.

“In view of this, the government has to understand that strengthening the directorate of infiltration is of utmost important as it will help the state to get ready to implement laws in letter and spirit including the ILP when implemented in the state,” he said.

The directorate is also tasked to check all pedestrains and vehicles for presence of foreigners entering the area without valid documents, to detect and push them back to the international borders if such foreigners are detected within 10 kms of the international borders.

Those detected beyond 10 kms of the international borders are to be prosecuted under the Foreigners’ Act, 1946 through police stations.

Moreover, the directorate is also entrusted to undertake enumeration of all the inhabitants residing in border villages.