40 suspected illegal immigrants intercepted in Jorhat while en route to Majuli

Jorhat, Aug 12: An ASTC bus with about 40 people, who were suspected to be illegal Bangladeshi immigrants reportedly coming from lower Assam and on their way to Majuli, were intercepted on Monday by the local people on the Pulibor outskirts.

Sources stated that an ASTC bus with passengers was found parked at the Dekagaon area of NH 715 (formerly NH 37) under the Pulibor police station area by the local people.

After an enquiry, it was found that the bus had stopped to carry out a repair for a tyre puncture and the people on the bus, who could not properly speak Assamese, said that they were coming from Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district.

As the members of several social and regional organizations working for the interests of indigenous people arrived and asked the people on the bus about their destination, they said that they were going to Majuli to be engaged in construction works.

The local people and organizations suspected them to be illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as they could not speak Assamese properly and after finding their documents questionable, they informed the police.

Police came to the spot and took away the bus along with the people to the police station for investigation.