In the past 1.5 years, the Government Railway Police or GRP units across six police stations in Tripura have detained a total of 434 illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya, who entered the State illegally through the international border.
A top Tripura Police official stated the GRP detained 294 illegal immigrants in 2023, of which 76 were Rohingyas and the rest were Bangladeshi nationals. From January 2024 to date, they have arrested 140 immigrants, with only three identified as Rohingyas.
Tripura, sharing an 856 km border with Bangladesh, has seen a rise in such cases facilitated by middlemen known as touts. Last year, 51 Indian touts were arrested, with an additional 26 arrests made this year so far. These touts aid illegal crossings of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas, leading to 103 cases being registered over the period – 75 last year and 28 this year.
The immigrants typically use Agartala Railway Station to board express trains bound for metro cities across Bharat, seeking employment in various sectors such as rag picking, construction, and masonry. Some receive initial assistance from relatives already established in these cities.
In addition to tackling illegal immigration, the Tripura GRP has made substantial drug seizures. In 2023, they apprehended 239 drug peddlers and seized substantial amounts of contraband, including 2,300 kg of ganja, 8,000 bottles of banned cough syrup, and 314 grams of heroin.
This year, 150 drug peddlers have already been arrested, with 63 cases registered. Recent arrests under the Arms Act highlight ongoing efforts to maintain law and order on trains passing through the State.
