SHILLONG, April 10: The influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh into India via the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya shows no signs of stopping. In the latest incident, five more illegal immigrants were apprehended by the Ri-Bhoi police, along with a cab driver who was transporting them from Shillong to Guwahati.
On Sunday evening, a Ri Bhoi police team was deployed for Naka checking near the petrol pump at Mawtnum, opposite Excelencia Restaurant on NH-6 (Shillong to Guwahati lane).
During the operation, a vehicle bearing registration number AS01SC-4410 approached the checkpoint. Upon being asked to identify themselves and provide proof of identity, the occupants failed to produce valid documents. Only two of them claimed identities — Sahin Khan and Rony Khan from Karnataka. The remaining three identified themselves as Prasanto Das, Suma Akhtar, and Mahmadul Rahman but could not produce any documents.
On closer verification, it was found that the Aadhaar cards presented were likely forged, as they could not be authenticated.
The individuals were detained, and during further questioning, they admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals.
They revealed that they had crossed into India illegally through Cheragaon in Shella, without any valid documents, after paying Rs 16,000 each to a middleman. This middleman escorted them to the Indian side of the border.
An unidentified vehicle, reportedly in contact with the Bangladeshi middleman, transported them to Shillong. From there, the driver of the vehicle that brought them to the checkpoint (AS01SC-4410) received them in the 101 Area, Upper Shillong.
The group further disclosed that another unidentified person was waiting to receive them at Guwahati Railway Station, with plans to take them onward to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
