Agartala, June 28 (IANS) Tripura Police have arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals in two separate intelligence-led operations at Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in 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, officials said on Sunday.

A senior police official said that the arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs received by the Airport Police.

He 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 inputs, and with the assistance of MBB Airport authorities and staff, we successfully apprehended all four persons before they could board the flight,” the police official said.

The four were taken to the Airport Police Station for sustained interrogation, during which investigators obtained fresh leads regarding the possible involvement of others.

Acting on the information gathered during questioning, police conducted another intelligence-based operation at the airport and arrested four more Bangladeshi nationals on June 27.

With the second operation, the total number of Bangladeshi nationals apprehended during the two-day crackdown has risen to eight, the official noted.

Four of the alleged infiltrators were produced before a local court on Sunday, while the remaining four are currently in police custody. Police have sought a five-day remand of the latter to facilitate further interrogation and trace the larger network suspected to be behind their illegal entry and movement.

According to the preliminary investigation, the arrested persons had planned to travel to Guwahati. However, investigators are now examining their complete travel itinerary, the route through which they allegedly entered India, and whether an organised cross-border network facilitated their infiltration and onward movement to different parts of the country.

The route they used to enter India and the persons who assisted them are being verified, the official said, adding: “We expect to gather more crucial information during the period of police remand.”

Police have also seized the accused persons’ personal belongings, including mobile phones and other articles, which are being examined for digital and forensic evidence that could help identify facilitators and associates linked to the alleged infiltration network.

The police official confirmed that all eight arrested persons are male. He added that the investigation is continuing to identify other individuals who may have been involved in facilitating the alleged cross-border infiltration and arranging their movement wihin India.

Tripura, which shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, is surrounded on three sides by the neighbouring country, making the northeastern state highly vulnerable and sensitive to cross-border migration issues.

Except for some stretches, most of the frontier has been fenced to prevent smuggling, trans-border crimes, illegal cross-border movement by infiltrators and other inimical elements.

A BSF official said that the paramilitary force has enhanced vigilance and intensified domination along the International Border since violence erupted in Bangladesh in June-July last year, especially after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024.

Union Home Minister Shah has recently announced the launch of pilot projects for Smart Border Management in Tripura, aimed at strengthening surveillance and enhancing border security through the deployment of advanced technologies.

The initiative is expected to bolster efforts to curb illegal infiltration and other trans-border crimes while improving the overall effectiveness of border management.

–IANS

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