Guwahati, Oct 20: Sixteen Bangladesh nationals were detained in two separate operations in Assam in the past 24 hours, as authorities intensified action against suspected illegal entry and cross-border movement.
In the latest operation, Mankachar police detained 13 Bangladeshi nationals and an Indian citizen in the Kuchnimara area of South Salmara-Mankachar district on Monday night.
Those detained include five women, two minors and six men. The group was allegedly attempting to cross into Bangladesh when police intercepted them near the international border.
Preliminary information suggests that the Bangladesh nationals had been living and working as labourers in different parts of India for an extended period and were apparently returning home when they were intercepted.
The Indian citizen detained with them has been identified as Moksedur Rahman. His association with the group and his possible role in their movement towards the border remain unclear.
All 14 people remain in Mankachar police custody. Police have not issued an official statement on the incident, and further details are expected after questioning.
In a separate operation on Monday, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) detained three Bangladeshi nationals aboard the Guwahati–Sairang Express at Lumding Railway Junction.
The three men, identified as Bilal Hussain, Amir Ali and Hassan Mia, are reportedly residents of Sunamganj district in Bangladesh.
They were detained from Train No. 15609, the Guwahati–Sairang Express, according to preliminary information.
Initial accounts suggest that the men entered India through the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Murshidabad region after allegedly paying around Rs 15,000 to an Indian tout. The information could not be independently verified by The Assam Tribune.
The detentions came as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a separate operation earlier on Monday, saying 24 foreign nationals who had allegedly entered India illegally were apprehended from different homestays across the state.
“Most of Assam: pandal-hopping. Assam Police: illegal hunting! Based on tip-offs, 24 illegal immigrants were caught hiding in different homestays,” Sarma said in a social media post.
The Chief Minister did not disclose the nationalities of those detained, the locations of the operations or the countries from which they had allegedly entered India.
“Assam welcomes Puja revellers but for illegals, stringent action as per law will be taken. @assampolice remains alert, 24x7,” he added.
Assam’s Sribhumi, Cachar, Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar districts share a 267.5-km international border with Bangladesh, making border management a key security concern for the state.