The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) Shillong Mihngi Circle reported a group of suspected undocumented migrant workers to the police on Tuesday night. According to the union, they received information about several individuals sleeping along a roadside at 4th Furlong in the Polo–Nongmynsong area. Upon visiting the spot, the KSU members questioned the group and were told that they had come to Meghalaya in search of work.
However, when asked to produce documents proving their Indian citizenship or identity, the individuals were unable to furnish any. None of them possessed an Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC), raising concerns over their identity and intentions. The KSU immediately handed the individuals over to the police for further verification and necessary legal action. The union also warned local residents against acting as agents or facilitators for undocumented persons entering the state.
The student body plans to continue carrying out similar verification drives across Khasi and Jaintia Hills in the coming days. The KSU expressed concern over the unchecked entry of migrants into Meghalaya, blaming the absence of stringent enforcement mechanisms. The union 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 KSU 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.
The union questioned the authorities, asking 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.
