By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 9: Six Bangladeshi nationals were on Tuesday apprehended along with two Indian nationals on the charges of illegal infiltration and abetment of the same respectively.
According to a statement, the apprehended persons, who were coming from Silchar, Assam, were signalled to stop at Umtyra Infiltration Check Point. However, the vehicle they were travelling in did not halt and fled the scene.
After some time, the in-charge of lnfiltration Khliehriat Check Post received input from KSU Khliehriat unit that eight persons have been brought to Khliehriat Police Station.
A subsequent investigation revealed that the six Bangladeshi nationals, viz. Md. Farbad Mia, Md. Shaheen Mia, Md. Shano Mia, Md. Kudos Mia, Md. Babul Mia and Saya Khatoon, all from Habigani village of Bangladesh, were travelling without any documents.
Dionitrios Khyriem from Mynkrem village, West Jaintia Hills, who was driving the vehicle, along with his wife Merciful Suja from Kuliang village in East Jaintia Hills, were found to be aiding the illegal infiltration.
Police have also informed that an FIR in this regard has been registered and investigation is under way.
Commenting on the case, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the state government will extend its full support to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in its efforts to crack down on human trafficking from Bangladesh.
Earlier, the NIA had filed charge sheets against six people from Assam and Meghalaya for their involvement in the alleged trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India using fake documents. One of the six accused, Wanbiang Suting, hails from East Jaintia Hills.
The NIA had taken over the case in December last year after several Rohingya refugees were arrested in Assam for travelling without valid documents.
“I am not fully aware of this case but whatever has to be done to ensure that these activities don’t take place will be done,” he said.
