Five people from Bangladesh detained in Tripura to be sent back, says police

Agartala, Sep 19: Five nationals from Bangladesh detained earlier this week in Tripura's Gomati district will be sent back to their country, a senior police officer confirmed on Friday.

According to officials, the detainees admitted they had entered Indian territory a few days ago and were working as labourers in construction and furniture related jobs at Maharani under RK Pur police station.

During a routine check at Maharani on September 18, police stopped an auto-rickshaw detained the five men on suspicion.

"Today, the five labourers were taken to a state government-run home in West Tripura. The BSF will now take up the matter with its Bangladesh counterpart to send them back to their country", Debanjali Ray Udaipur SDPO added.

Ray further added that the state has received instructions from the Centre to house illegal Bangladeshi nationals in a government-run home rather than arresting them immediately.

Illegal infiltration remains a major challenge in Tripura, where previously such individuals were booked under the Indian Passport Act produced before local courts.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Assam, authorities in Silchar's Cachar district detained 10 Rohingya migrants on September 18. The group, including women and children, were detained from Tarapur area while allegedly attempting to cross into Bangladesh.

The group, who had reportedly stayed in various parts of India since entering more than a decade ago, were found in an abandoned building. Some were carrying documents issued from refugee camps in Bangladesh. Authorities are investigating their routes and possible involvement of local agents or smuggling networks.

- With inputs from PTI