NIA, others question arrested Bangladeshis

Agartala, May 15: At least four Central agencies including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) quizzed 24 Bangladeshi youths arrested here on May 10, a police officer said on Tuesday.

“Two separate NIA teams from Guwahati and a few central intelligence agencies are interrogating the Bangladeshis, now under the custody of Government Railway Police,” Tripura Police Mobile Task Force (MTF) Superintendent of Police Abhijit Chaudhuri said.

A court sent the intruders to seven-day police custody on May 11.

The MTF personnel on May 10 arrested the Bangladeshis as they reached the Agartala railway station.

Officials refused to share any information gathered from the Bangladeshi intruders.

“These youths aged 20-22, after entering India illegally, probably through West Bengal border, mostly stayed in Uttar Pradesh,” the MTF chief said, adding the intelligence and NIA officials did not share any information with them gathered from the detainees.

“Documents and identity cards of madrasas of different states, along with mobile phones and Indian currencies, were recovered from the intruders. They have no valid passports,” Chaudhuri said.

After the preliminary interrogation, the MTF had handed over these youths to the GRP. The interrogators were yet to disclose whether the Bangladeshi nationals were involved in any crime in India. Tripura shares a 856 km border with Bangladesh, most of which is fenced except some stretches in the eastern frontier of the State. (IANS)