Tripura, 22 May 2025: In a major development, Madhupur Police, with the assistance of local residents, apprehended five Bangladeshi nationals including two women from the Pathariadwar border area under Madhupur Police Station in Tripura.
According to police sources, the group had illegally crossed into Indian territory through a culvert under the barbed wire fencing in the Pathariadwar area, reportedly guided by human traffickers from Bangladesh. After crossing over, they wandered throughout the night and were spotted by locals in the early hours of Thursday morning. The police were immediately informed, leading to their swift arrest.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the individuals Monir Khan, Saheba Khatun, Shahjalal Khan, Swadhin Khan, and Dulali Khatun, all hailing from Kurigram district, Rangpur division of Bangladesh had come to India with the intention of going to Delhi for work. They claimed that a group of agents in Bangladesh promised to help them cross the border for a fee. Once they reached Indian soil, the traffickers fled with their mobile phone and 15,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
While the involvement of Bangladeshi agents is evident, initial investigation also points to a possible local (Indian) network aiding these illegal crossings. According to sources, a few youths from the Adarsha Colony area may be linked to this racket.
Madhupur Police Station OC confirmed that valuable leads were obtained during questioning, and further investigation is expected to uncover more information. “We have reasons to believe that Indian agents were involved in facilitating the entry. We are actively searching for them and will bring them to justice,” the OC stated.
This incident has sparked concern in the area and reignited debates over cross-border infiltration and smuggling. In the backdrop of strained Indo-Bangladesh relations, the ease with which human traffickers are managing such illegal movement raises serious questions for both countries.
