By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 9: Members of the HYC Jatap and Shella Unit apprehended a Bangladeshi national in the early hours of Sunday, suspecting him of assisting in the illegal entry of Bangladeshi citizens into India with the help of two Indian nationals, who later unveiled the scheme of things surrounding a human smuggling racket.
The HYC team had received information about Bangladeshi nationals attempting to cross into India through two border villages — Patharghat and Kalatek — in the Shella area. Acting on the tip-off and with the support of local villagers, they managed to detain the suspect allegedly involved in facilitating the illegal entry.
During initial interrogation, the Bangladeshi man confessed to accompanying a group attempting to cross the border. He claimed that while some individuals managed to flee, either returning to Bangladesh or successfully entering Indian territory, he was caught. He further revealed that two Indian nationals from Kalibari village, identified as Bino Biswas and Subash Baidya, are involved in the cross-border smuggling operation. The suspect admitted that he was paid Rs 1,000 per person to assist them in crossing into India but was unaware of how much the Indian collaborators were paid.
His role, he stated, was limited to guiding the migrants across the Bangladesh side of the border. Once they entered Indian territory, Bino Biswas and Subash Baidya would take over and facilitate their onward travel to Shillong and other destinations.
Pyndap Shongwan, president of the HYC Jatap Unit, said that the suspect admitted the illegal operation had been active for several months and that he had helped between 50 and 60 individuals enter India during that period.
The detained individual has been handed over to the Shella police station. The HYC has urged the police to conduct a thorough interrogation and take immediate steps to arrest the two Indian nationals allegedly involved in the human smuggling racket.
Shongwan also appealed to the Border Security Force (BSF) to intensify patrols along the border to prevent further illegal crossings. Additionally, the HYC has taken up the matter with the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, the SDPO of Sohra Sub-Division, and senior officials of the BSF Meghalaya Frontier.