Five Bangladeshi nationals were detained in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district while three others managed to escape during a document verification exercise at a checkpoint, police said on Friday.
The incident occurred on June 11 at the permanent checkpoint at Upper Damalgre under Rongram Police Station, where personnel were conducting routine vehicle inspections as part of heightened surveillance measures along the state's border areas.
According to police, a Bolero vehicle bearing registration number AS-01MA-9584 was stopped after officers suspected that some of its occupants were not Indian citizens. The vehicle was carrying eight passengers.
During the verification process, three of the occupants fled before authorities could complete checks on their identity and travel documents.
The remaining five individuals were questioned and asked to furnish documents proving their citizenship. Police said they failed to produce any valid documents.
Officers also reportedly found Bangladeshi SIM cards on their mobile phones, strengthening suspicions about their nationality.
Also read: Delhi B&B owner helped Bangladeshis get Indian IDs: Police
Subsequent interrogation revealed that the detainees were residents of Saramkundi under Godagari Police Station in Rajshahi district of Bangladesh.
The five have been identified as Sohail Rana, Chobi Ali, Tashiqul Islam, Ziyadur Sheikh and Mohammad Nabi.
Police have registered a suo motu case under Sections 21 and 24 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and initiated legal proceedings against the detainees.
An extensive search operation has been launched to trace the three individuals who escaped during verification. Alerts have been issued to police stations across West Garo Hills and neighbouring districts.
Authorities have also sought assistance from village heads, community leaders and local organisations in locating the absconders.
Investigators are questioning the detained individuals to gather information about the three fugitives, their route of entry into India and whether they were linked to a larger network involved in illegal cross-border movement.
The incident comes amid heightened vigilance along Meghalaya's border with Bangladesh, where security agencies have stepped up monitoring to prevent illegal infiltration, trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
Follow us
