5 Bangladeshis, 3 Rohingyas arrested in Tripura for illegally entering India

The official said that the foreign nationals were intercepted while attempting to board the Hamsafar Express en route to Kolkata and Bengaluru.

Ahead of the Independence Day celebration, at least eight foreign nationals were arrested by the Railway Police Force (RPF) at Agartala railway station in Tripura, for illegally entering India, officials said on Saturday.

Government Railway Police (GRP) Station in-charge Sanjit Sen said that based on an input, the RPF detained a total of 8 people from the station.

The arrested immigrants include 5 individuals from Bangladesh and three Rohingyas, hailing from Myanmar.

The arrested Bangladeshi nationals have been identified as Abdul Jalil, Billal Hussain, Abdul Quader, Md Kasar, Md Russel, while three Rohingyas identified as Md Hussain, Rafika Begam, and Jahida Begam.

The official said that the foreign nationals were intercepted while attempting to board the Hamsafar Express en route to Kolkata and Bengaluru.

During the interrogation, immigrants admitted of illegally crossing into Indian territory from Bangladesh without proper documentation.

Meanwhile, authorities also recovered five mobile phones, along with currency notes from both India and Bangladesh, as well as rail tickets.

The detainees were handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), where the investigation is ongoing.

They have been charged under the Passport Act before their forthcoming court appearance.

Security operations along the border have been stepped up to combat unlawful infiltrations, particularly in view of concerns expressed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Sarma expressed concern over Tripura becoming the favourite route for Rohingyas and Bangladeshis to migrate to various parts of India, including the national capital Delhi, Jammu, and Bengaluru, posing a significant threat to national security.

In response, the Chief Minister of Tripura, after a review meeting with senior police officials earlier this week, announced enhanced security measures within the state.

The aim is to prevent Tripura from being exploited as a gateway, thwarting the efforts of local individuals involved in aiding Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants to illegally cross the border and providing them with counterfeit Indian documents, including fraudulent Aadhar cards.

This week alone, a total of 12 foreign nationals were detained in Agartala, along with five accomplices involved in producing fake Aadhar cards to facilitate the entry of illegal migrants.

Previously, Assam Police arrested several intermediaries from Tripura, linking them to similar cases of international human trafficking originating from Bangladesh.

Also Read: Tripura: ‘United’ Opposition mulling to fight against BJP in Dhanpur, Boxanagar by-polls

For more news and updates, visit: Northeast Live

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