Tripura, October 31: A total of 11 Bangladeshi nationals, including one woman and three children, allegedly crossed into India illegally through the Asharam Bari border under Khowai subdivision on Thursday night.
According to reports, the group entered India in two auto-rickshaws and was travelling towards Khowai town when locals at Sombaria Bazar became suspicious of their movements. The residents intercepted the vehicles and detained the passengers, suspecting them to be illegal entrants from Bangladesh.
Upon receiving the information, officers from Champahour Police Station, accompanied by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, rushed to the spot. Initially, the local residents refused to hand the detained individuals over to the police, demanding their immediate pushback to Bangladesh.
Following the intervention and instructions of Khowai District Superintendent of Police (SP) Ranaditya Das, a large police contingent reached the area. Around 2 AM, the detainees were rescued from the scene and taken to Khowai Police Station for interrogation.
During questioning, six of them reportedly admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals from the Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. One of the Bangladeshi women confessed that she had crossed the border illegally along with her two children due to instability and safety concerns in her home country.
The remaining five claimed to be Indian citizens; however, their identities and addresses are currently being verified in coordination with Kachuchhara Police Station and other local authorities.
SP Ranaditya Das said,
“We received information around 7:30 PM that some Bangladeshi nationals were being held by locals in the Asharam Bari area. When our officers reached the spot, the public demanded that they be immediately pushed back. However, as per the law, we needed to register a proper case first. After explaining the legal procedures, the crowd cooperated, and the detainees were handed over to us. A total of 13 individuals were found – six Bangladeshi nationals, four claiming to be Indians, and three touts suspected of facilitating their entry.”
Police have registered a case under the Foreigners Act for illegal entry into India, as well as separate cases against the two auto-rickshaw drivers and others accused of aiding the crossing.
Investigations are currently underway to determine whether this group is part of a larger cross-border network operating along the Tripura–Bangladesh border.
