Assam: 5 Bangladeshis Detained at Assam-Meghalaya Border Amid Security Crackdown

GUWAHATI: In a daring operation, five Bangladeshis were caught on Saturday at the Mankachar police's checkpoint drive along Mirjumla Road in South Salmara Mankachar district at the Assam-Meghalaya border.

This tempo was intercepted around 9 PM while carrying this group from Meghalaya to Mankachar. While verification was being done, it was found that three were women and two were men.

The authorities claimed that this group had entered India through the international border at Dalu area of Meghalaya. The authorities are probing into reasons behind their illegal entry and if it is part of any cross-border network.

The detained Bangladeshis have been identified to be Akash Hussain, Shafiqul Mondal, Sabina Aftan, Santa Begum, and Pinky Akhtara. The Mankachar police have remained alert on the Assam-Meghalaya border to check against illegal immigrations and to ensure security.

Besides the five Bangladeshi nationals, the police also arrested Akhirul Islam, tempo driver hailing from Pesarkandi village under Mankachar police station. The tempo with number AS-17C-3808 has been seized as it was coming from Meghalaya to Mankachar. Superintendent of Police of South Salmara Mankachar district has reached the Mankachar police station and started interrogating the arrested people.

The chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said on Wednesday that the Assam Police had arrested a Bangladeshi national attempting to enter India illegally and had promptly sent him back home.

CM Sarma asserted that infiltration attempts from Bangladesh have gone up in the last few months, and the security forces have been extra alert to thwart the moves of infiltrators. He had earlier announced a host of measures to counter the infiltration problem from Bangladesh which had gone up manifold in the last few days.

CM Sarma shared data showing that till date from January this year, 54 illegal immigrants have been detected—48 in Karimganj district, 4 in Bongaigaon district, and one each in Dima Hasao and Dhubri district.

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