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Days after the gun battle between the Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles in Pyrdiwah village on the Indo-Bangladesh border, graffiti on the walls of thatched huts proclaims that the village "belongs to Bangladesh."
A PTI correspondent who visited the village, more than 100 km from capital Shillong, found graffiti in Bengali all over the walls of the local St John Baptist Church and Presbyterian school.
The mud walls of some of the houses sported symbols of the Bangladesh National Party.
The villagers have not yet returned to their houses despite the BSF having regained its Border Observatory Post.
Village headman P Nongrum said the inhabitants were afraid to return fearing more intrusions by the BDR.
Nongrum alleged that almost all the houses in village were destroyed by the BDR raiders.
He alleged that no steps were taken by the BSF, though the villagers had informed the authorities on Sunday last of BDR's intrusion and digging of trenches.
All 1,200 inhabitants of the village fled when the BDR fired in the air and asked them to vacate the village.
The villagers said they saw from the top of a hill how BDR encircled the BOP.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner L Roy, who visited the village to assess the damage, said the government is providing the villagers with food and temporary shelters.
Chief Minister E K Mawlong is scheduled to visit the village on Monday to pursue the villagers to return, official sources said.
PTI
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