On Saturday (23rd March), the Railway Police at Agartala Station arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals, including two women and a ten-month-old baby, for illegally entering India.
The Officer-in-Charge of Government Railway Police at Badharghat, Tapas Das revealed that two of the detainees had dressed themselves as women, presumably to conceal their identities.
During interrogation, the illegal infiltrators confessed that all of them were Bangladeshi citizens. According to Das, these arrests bring the total number of Bangladeshi nationals apprehended from Agartala Railway Station to over 20.
Bangladeshi nationals were heading for Chennai
According to the official, the illegal Bangladeshi nationals were arrested during a routine check before they could board a train to Chennai.
As per the officials, illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators have been attempting to use the Northeastern state as a transit to reach metropolitan cities like Kolkata and Chennai.
The official said they have seized a few smartphones from them and the devices are being checked to ascertain if they have any connection with any international groups.
Confirming that the arrested individuals are Bangladeshi nationals, Das said, “The sleuths managed to detain the seven Bangladeshi nationals based on their suspicious activities. They have confessed during interrogation that all of them are Bangladeshi citizens.”
Speaking with EastMojo, Das pointed out, “Most illegal infiltrators enter Tripura to use the state as a corridor to reach metropolitan cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and other major states in search of work. Those arrested today revealed they intended to board the Kanchanjunga Express to leave Tripura. They aimed to reach Chennai to explore livelihood opportunities.”
According to reports, all of them hail from the Bagerhat district of Bangladesh. They have been identified as Easin Hawlader (44), Mohammad Hasan (20), Sukur Ali Hawlader (19), Farjana Akhtar (20), Rumi Begam (21) accompanied by her daughter Mariam (10 months), Nayan Hossain (25), and Md Matiur Mandal (26).
7 Bangladeshi nationals held at Agartala station for illegally entering India.
— BALA (@erbmjha) March 23, 2024
Two among them dressed up as women.
Their names are as follows: Easin Hawlader (44), Mohammad Hasan (20), Sukur Ali Hawlader (19), Farjana Akhtar (20), Rumi Begam (21) accompanied by her daughter… pic.twitter.com/dk4DqkHCg6
According to reports, two of the arrested individuals dressed as women. Initially, the officials assumed them to be transgenders but they later admitted that they disguised themselves as women while leaving the state.
Illegal infiltration from Bangladesh through porous borders
However, the official added that the Bangladeshi nationals couldn’t exactly tell which part of Tripura they used to cross the international border but revealed that it took them an hour or so to reach the railway station from the border. The official said, “We are assuming they used Comilla or adjoining areas to cross into Indian soil.”
After their arrest, all individuals have been brought before the court for subsequent legal proceedings.
A day earlier on Friday, two persons were arrested at the same railway station because of their suspicious movements. One of them was later revealed to be a Bangladeshi girl, while the other was recognised as an Indian facilitator who aided others in illegally crossing into India.
Similarly, in November last year, the Tripura Police arrested 14 Bangladeshi nationals in Sabroom in the South Tripura district bordering Bangladesh, for illegally entering India.
According to reports, before the arrest, the 14 arrested had taken shelter at the residence of a local individual identified as Kraisu Mog in the Baishnabpur area. Two more locals identified as Athubai Mog and Khoka Tripura were also arrested for acting as middlemen and facilitating the entry of Bangladeshi nationals illegally into India.
Tripura is bordered by Bangladesh on three sides and shares an international boundary spanning 856 kilometers. Some sections of this border remain unfenced due to local disputes regarding land ownership and demarcation issues.
