Meghalaya minister's bodyguard arrested for assaulting Bhutanese national

Shillong, Nov 15 (IANS) The bodyguard of Meghalaya's Social Welfare Minister and his two friends were arrested on Thursday after he assaulted a Bhutanese truck driver and his aide in West Jaintia Hills district.

A police officer said Thmu Bait I Dhar, the Personal Security Officer of the minister, Kyrmen Shylla and his friends Chanky Lhuid and Deibormi Lyngdoh assaulted Passang Dorji and Jity Kami at Hill Top Dhaba in Riat Turim Khliehtyrshi area.

Dorji, who is Bhutanese national and his helper Kami, who hailed from West Bengal's Alipurduar district, were transporting coal from Bhutan to Bangladesh via India's Meghalaya Dawki Land Customs station.

"The victims have formally lodged a police complaint against the three accused. We have arrested the accused and the matter is under investigation," Lakardor Syiem, the district police chief of West Jaintia Hills told IANS.

He said that there are eight trucks laden with coal of Bhutan origin.

India had notified Nakugaon-Dalu and Tamabil-Dawki land customs stations as dedicated port for Bangladesh-Bhutan for trans-shipment export-import trade.

The trade between Dhaka and Thimpu is insignificant with imports from Bhutan standing at US$18.48 million as against exports from Bangladesh worth only US$ 3.12 million in 2010-11, showing Bhutan enjoining a comfortable trade balance.

Dhaka had earlier offered Thimpu duty-free access of some products and to use Chittagong and Mongla Ports while Thimpu extended cooperation to meet the power deficit of Bangladesh.