Tripura Police have arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals in two separate intelligence-led operations at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in the state capital, Agartala, foiling their suspected attempt to travel to other parts of the country and launching a wider investigation into a possible cross-border infiltration network.
The arrests were made on June 26 and June 27 following specific intelligence inputs received by Airport Police.
Briefing reporters on Sunday, Officer-in-Charge of Airport Police Station, Inspector Susanta Deb, said police had received credible information that four Bangladeshi nationals would arrive at MBB Airport on June 26 to board a flight to another state.
"Acting on the intelligence, and with the assistance of MBB Airport staff, we successfully apprehended all four persons," Deb said.
The four were taken to the Airport Police Station for interrogation, during which investigators obtained fresh leads. Acting on the information gathered, police conducted another operation at the airport on June 27 and arrested four more Bangladeshi nationals.
With the second operation, the total number of Bangladeshi infiltrators arrested in the two-day crackdown has risen to eight.
Inspector Deb said four of the accused were produced before the court on Sunday, while the remaining four are in police custody. Police have sought a five-day remand of the latter to facilitate further interrogation.
According to the preliminary investigation, the arrested persons intended to travel to Guwahati. However, investigators are examining their complete travel plan, the route through which they allegedly entered India and whether an organised network facilitated their infiltration and onward movement.
"The route they used and the persons involved are being verified. We expect to gather more information during police remand," the officer said.
Police have also seized the accused persons' personal belongings, including mobile phones, which are being examined for evidence.
Inspector Deb confirmed that all eight arrested persons are men. The investigation is continuing to identify other individuals who may have been involved in facilitating the alleged cross-border infiltration.
Tripura, which shares an 856-km international border with Bangladesh, is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides. Although more than 95 per cent of the international border has been secured with barbed-wire fencing, cross-border crimes, illegal infiltration, smuggling and human trafficking continue to pose major security challenges for law enforcement agencies.
Against this backdrop, the Government of India has recently announced the launch of pilot projects for Smart Border Management in Tripura, aimed at strengthening surveillance and enhancing border security through the use of advanced technology.
