South Salmara-Mankachar, October 31: In a fresh development amid the ongoing crackdown on alleged illegal infiltration in Assam, four people have been detained by Kharuabandha Police in Hatsingimari in South Salmara-Mankachar district for allegedly helping Bangladeshi nationals enter India illegally in exchange for money.
The detention comes shortly after Dhubri Police detained 36 suspected Bangladeshi nationals who reportedly travelled from Hatsingimari to Dhubri by motorised boat, raising fresh concerns over alleged infiltration routes and the possible involvement of middlemen in the region.
According to information received from sources, the four detained individuals are suspected of assisting Bangladeshi nationals in entering India illegally. They have allegedly been involved in facilitating such entry in exchange for money.
However, police have not yet issued an official statement detailing the allegations or the specific role of each individual.
Who Are the Four Detained in Hatsingimari?
The four individuals detained by Kharuabandha Police have been identified as Javed Islam of Fekamari, Abdul Latif Mia of Dayarchar, Sajid Hussain of Fekamari and Jamirul Haque.
According to the information available, they were detained over allegations of helping Bangladeshi nationals enter India illegally in exchange for money.
After questioning them, police took the four individuals to the district hospital for medical examinations.
They are likely to be produced before a court after the medical examination and completion of the necessary legal formalities.
Detention Follows Arrest of 36 Suspected Bangladeshi Nationals in Dhubri
The latest development comes after Dhubri Police detained 36 suspected Bangladeshi nationals at Jogomaya Ferry Ghat in Dhubri.
According to information received earlier, the group had travelled by motorised boat from Hatsingimari in South Salmara-Mankachar district to Dhubri.
Police information indicated that the individuals were reportedly from Rajshahi district of Bangladesh. Their identities and nationality require official verification.
Another serious allegation in that case was that some individuals had allegedly obtained Indian identity documents with the help of middlemen by paying amounts ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000.
It was also alleged that some of them subsequently travelled to different parts of Assam and other regions of India using such documents.
Dhubri Senior Superintendent of Police Debashish Bora had reportedly expressed suspicion that the group might have entered Assam through unfenced stretches of the Meghalaya border rather than directly through the Dhubri border.
Is a Middleman Network Operating Along the Border?
The detention of four people in Hatsingimari, following the detention of 36 suspected Bangladeshi nationals in Dhubri, has brought renewed attention to allegations of illegal infiltration and the possible role of middlemen in the border areas of Lower Assam.
The allegations raise several important questions.
Are individuals facilitating illegal entry into Assam in exchange for money? Is there a network helping suspected foreign nationals obtain Indian identity documents? Are different groups operating along possible entry routes in the region?
The possible connection between the two incidents also needs to be examined.
However, there is no confirmed evidence at present establishing a direct link between the four people detained in Hatsingimari and the 36 individuals detained earlier in Dhubri.
Police Investigation Awaited
Kharuabandha Police have not yet released an official statement regarding the detention of the four individuals.
The investigation is expected to establish the exact nature of the allegations, whether the detained individuals were involved in facilitating illegal entry and whether other people were part of any alleged network.
The two developments have once again highlighted concerns over border surveillance and possible illegal entry routes into Assam.
Further details are awaited as the police investigation progresses.
Also Read: 36 Suspected Bangladeshi Nationals Detained in Dhubri; Meghalaya Route Under Scanner
