Broker arrested, four Bangladeshis pushed back from Assam

Guwahati, Aug 20 (PTI) A broker allegedly facilitating entry of Bangladesh nationals into India illegally has been arrested on Tuesday following the nabbing of four people from across the border in Assam, police said.

The person was arrested from Hajirhat village in South Salmara district for allegedly helping Bangladeshi nationals enter Assam illegally through the riverine areas in exchange for money.

Identified as Ali Hussain, he has also been accused of providing shelter to the infiltrators and assisting them in crossing over to India illegally.

Ali's arrest comes a day after a Bangladeshi woman was detained in Dhubri and handed over to authorities of her country.

The woman claimed that she, along with a large group had left Bangladesh on Saturday and entered India on Sunday with the help of two brokers on either side of the border.

She had alleged that she entered Assam with Ali's help and paid him 2,500 Bangladeshi Taka.

She claimed that four of them, including her husband, had taken shelter in a house but they were later separated and she was picked up by the police.

In another incident, three Bangladesh nationals have been apprehended by Assam Police and handed over to the neighbouring country, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.

''Assam Police apprehended three Bangladeshi nationals last night who entered India from the Tripura side'', Sarma posted on X.

The individuals were identified as Md Abu Shaid, Asadul Islam and Md Sarwar, all residents of Bangladesh's Rajshahi district.

One of them was found with an Aadhar card, having entered India for the second time, he said.

''All three intended to travel to Chennai for labour work. They have since been pushed back to Bangladesh,'' the chief minister added.

A senior police official said that the trio were nabbed while they were trying to enter Assam through the inter-state border with Tripura in Karimganj district and they were later handed over to Bangladesh authorities. PTI DG BDC SBN DG SBN