Agartala, August 12: In anticipation of Independence Day, security vigilance has been heightened, resulting in the apprehension of eight foreign nationals by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Agartala railway station in Tripura’s capital.
Among the detainees are five individuals from Bangladesh and three Rohingyas, hailing from Myanmar, as stated by Inspector Sanjit Sen officer in-charge of the Government Railway Police (GRP) police station.
The foreign nationals were intercepted while attempting to board the Hamsafar Express en route to Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Acting on suspicions, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) interrogated them near the main gate of the station during which they admitted to unlawfully crossing into Indian territory from Bangladesh without proper documentation and so they were arrested.
The individuals arrested include five Bangladeshi citizens and three Rohingyas, identified as Abdul Jalil, Billal Hussain, Abdul Quader, Md Kasar, Md Russel, Md Hussain, Rafika Begam, and Jahida Begam.
Upon their arrest, authorities recovered five mobile phones, along with currency notes from both India and Bangladesh, as well as rail tickets.
Following initial questioning, the detainees were handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), where the investigation is ongoing. They have been charged under the Passport Act before their forthcoming court appearance.
Security operations have been intensified along the border to counteract illegal infiltrations, particularly in light of concerns raised by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He expressed worry over Tripura serving as a conduit for Rohingyas and Bangladeshis to migrate to various parts of India, including the national capital Delhi, Jammu, and Bengaluru, posing a significant threat to national security.
In response, the Chief Minister of Tripura, after a review meeting with senior police officials earlier this week, announced enhanced security measures within the state.
The aim is to prevent Tripura from being exploited as a gateway, thwarting the efforts of local individuals involved in aiding Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants to illegally cross the border and providing them with counterfeit Indian documents, including fraudulent Aadhar cards.
This week alone, a total of 12 foreign nationals were detained in Agartala, alongside five accomplices involved in producing fake Aadhar cards to facilitate the entry of illegal migrants.
Previously, Assam Police arrested several intermediaries from Tripura, linking them to similar cases of international human trafficking originating from Bangladesh.
