10 Bangladeshi nationals apprehended in city

In an unprecedented development that puts several questions over the border vigilance of Tripura, 10 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested from a bordering area located in the city outskirts of Agartala.

The arrest from the Rajnagar area of Joypur under West Tripura district located in the vicinity of Agartala has triggered panic and a sense of insecurity among the locals prompting them to question the safety of the city. Albeit, the police have said that they entered the state seven months back with help of some agents active in trans-border movements, a sense of tension descended in precursors of COVID spread threat.     

Speaking to reporters, Md Masud Rana revealed that he had entered Tripura through some special arrangements made to cross the borders and paid money to some agents for giving a safe passage.

“We entered India through a narrow road down a bridge. All of us paid Rs 2,000 per head to get access the safe passage. The BSF people did not see us when we entered” said Masud Rana.

On being asked of their work, he said, ”I use to work as a mason in some of the construction sites. All of my associates who have come here do the same job. But due to the lockdown there is no work left right now with all the construction sites getting shut”.

The arrested persons are identified as, Masud Rana, Md Abdul Alim, Md Nurul Islam, Md Jamirul Islam, Md. Masud Rana, Md Jabbar Ali, Mohhammed Nabir, Md Nur Jamal, Md Mafiz Sk, Md Aminul Sk. All of them are residents of Chapai district of Bangladesh.

Sources in the police department said, they had been apprehended during an investigation. All of them would be produced before the Court and the law would take its own course.