SILCHAR: A young couple who allegedly crossed over from Bangladesh a few days earlier in search of better opportunities in India was arrested by the Assam police on Tuesday, Karimganj district police chief said on Thursday.
The couple, identified as Mohammed Naim Uddin, 24, and his wife, Sabnur Ansari, 19, are residents of Bangladesh’s Kishoreganj, a district in Dhaka division.
The couple was travelling in a bus from Tripura capital Agartala that was stopped for routine checking soon after it crossed the inter-state border into Assam. Police said they did not have any identification papers on them and were detained.
During their initial questioning at the Bazarichara police station, the couple told the police that they crossed into Tripura a few days back and were on their way to Guwahati for the final leg of their journey to West Bengal’s Murshidabad 1,200km away where they hoped to make a fresh start; find themselves jobs or maybe, even start a small business.
“They said they got married recently and were looking for better opportunities. They decided to move to India so that they both get themselves jobs, or start some business,” Karimganj superintendent of police (SP) Padmanabh Baruah said.
{{/usCountry}}“They said they got married recently and were looking for better opportunities. They decided to move to India so that they both get themselves jobs, or start some business,” Karimganj superintendent of police (SP) Padmanabh Baruah said.
{{/usCountry}}Karimganj and Cachar districts of Assam also share a border with Bangladesh but local police officers said this part of the border, also guarded by the Border Security Force like the rest of the Indio-Bangladesh wasn’t porous.
Baruah said the couple has been booked under the Foreigners Act under provisions that outlaws foreigners from entering the country illegally.
Police officers said 10 Bangladeshi nationals who illegally entered the country from neighbouring Tripura and were headed to south India were intercepted by the Assam police over the last month.
Baruah said the district police was still investigating the couple’s version and will look into all possible angles. “In other cases too, we have heard similar stories,” he said.
The police officer said the couple has spoken of organised gangs that help them cross the Bangladesh border and take the bus out of Tripura. “These cases are increasing and we are going to strengthen the checking procedure at inter-state border check posts,” he said.