5 Bangladeshi nationals including three women held in Tripura

Imphal, April 20 (IANS) Five Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, were arrested during the past 24 hours in Tripura for illegal entry into India from across the border, officials said here on Sunday.

In another incident, two Bangladeshi thieves were detained by villagers at Nandalal Das Para, in Simna Assembly constituency of West Tripura district on Sunday.

Despite the presence of the Border Security Force (BSF), villagers claim that Bangladeshi thieves continue to cut through the fencing and cross over with ease.

Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Police Force (RPF) and BSF arrested five more Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, during the past 24 hours at the Agartala Railway Station.

GRP Station In-charge Tapash Das said that they along with the RPF and BSF conducted a joint operation and arrested the Bangladeshi nationals.

They had entered the Indian territory by illegally crossing the border.

The Bangladeshi citizens confessed during questioning that they had plans to go to Kolkata from Agartala Railway Station and from there further to Bangalore or Chennai.

"Cases were registered at the Agartala GRP station against them under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Indian Passport Act, Foreigners Act and other relevant sections of the law," Das said.

Three smartphones, Indian currency notes and Bangladeshi voter ID cards were recovered from the possession of the accused Bangladeshi citizens.

One of the women during questioning said that she was assured a job at a beauty parlour in Bengaluru by a Bangladeshi human trafficker while the other two said they were promised jobs at juice bars in Chennai.

Following the directions from the Central government, vigil along the India-Bangladesh border was further tightened to prevent illegal immigration, cross-border crimes and movement by anti-national elements.

A BSF spokesman said that the para-military troops have enhanced vigil and intensified its domination along the International Border since the violence in Bangladesh began in June-July last year, specially after the fall of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024.

--IANS

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