4 killed in violence over timber smuggling at Assam-Meghalaya border
Guwahati (PTI): Four people, including a forest guard, were killed in violence at the Assam-Meghalaya border after the police intercepted a truck transporting illegal timber in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.
The truck was intercepted at the Meghalaya border by an Assam Forest Department team around 3 am, West Karbi Anglong's Superintendent of Police Imdad Ali told PTI.
As the truck tried to flee, the forest guards fired at it and punctured a tyre. The driver, handyman and another person were apprehended, while others managed to escape, he said.
The forest guards informed the Zirikending police station about the incident, and asked for reinforcements, he added.
As police reached, a huge number of people from Meghalaya armed with 'dao' (dagger) and other weapons gathered at the spot around 5 am, the officer said.
As the mob gheraoed the forest guards and the police demanding the immediate release of those arrested, the officers fired at them to bring the situation under control, he said.
"A forest home guard and three persons of the Khasi community were killed in the incident. The situation is under control now," the officer said.
However, it was not immediately clear how the forest guard, identified as Bidyasing Lekhte, was killed.
Ali said top officers of the district were on the way to the remote area.
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Telangana CM urges Amit Shah to increase sanctioned strength of IPS officers in state
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday night and urged him to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state in view of its growing administrative and security needs.
The two leaders also discussed the recent surrender of several senior Maoist leaders before the Telangana Police and other issues.
"During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the issue of Maoist surrenders and their rehabilitation. The chief minister informed Shah that significant improvements in policing have taken place in Telangana over the past two years," an official release here said.
Highlighting that 591 Maoists have laid down their arms and joined the mainstream of society during this period, the chief minister said the state government was providing them compensation and rehabilitation assistance as per the rules.
He requested the Union home minister to extend financial support from the central government for development works in the backward regions of the state.
Reddy also urged Shah to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state from 83 to 105 in line with the state's growing administrative and security needs, the statement said.
The first cadre review after the formation of Telangana was conducted in 2016, while the next review, due in 2021, was delayed and finally carried out in 2025. Even then, only seven additional IPS officers were allocated to the state, the chief minister informed Shah and requested that the third cadre review be conducted in 2026 as per the schedule.
Reddy explained that Telangana, like the rest of the country, is facing several modern challenges, including cybercrime, drug trafficking, white-collar crimes, and other emerging security threats.
He highlighted the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri Police Commissionerates, the proposed formation of the Future City Commissionerate and the rapidly growing population in Hyderabad to underline the increasing administrative requirements of the state.
