Six Detained in Bilonia for Illegal Entry from Bangladesh; Security Lapses Raise Concerns

Agartala, May 22, 2025, By Our Correspondent

Agartala: May 22: Acting on a tip-off, Belonia Police detained six suspicious individuals sitting inside the Belonia Vidyapith Mini Stadium late Thursday night. Among the six detained were four men and two women. Another person managed to escape before the police arrived. None of the detained individuals were able to produce valid documents during questioning, raising serious concerns about border security and illegal migration.

According to police sources, the six individuals had entered India illegally through the Amzadnagar border in the Parauram area by paying ₹39,000 to human traffickers. With no accommodation available, they had taken refuge in the stadium for the night. They were reportedly planning to travel to Mayapur in West Bengal the following morning.

Of the six detained, two men—Prantosh Chandra Sutradhar (36) from Comilla and Shubho Das (30) from Narayanganj—are Bangladeshi nationals. The remaining four are Indian citizens from West Bengal: Priyanka Das (25) from Kakdwip in the Sundarbans, Bhupal Bauri (59) from East Bardhaman, and Premananda Goswami (28) along with his mother Madhabi Goswami (48), also from Bardhaman.

Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act and launched an investigation under Bilonia PS Case No. 33/25. OC Shibu Ranjan Dey confirmed ongoing interrogation.

The incident highlights serious lapses in border surveillance. In the last month alone, over 21 Bangladeshi nationals have reportedly crossed the border illegally through the same Amzadnagar route without the Border Security Force (BSF) being alerted. While local police are arresting these individuals post-entry, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of both the BSF and intelligence agencies.

Despite repeated incidents, no human traffickers have been identified or arrested so far, raising further concerns about cross-border security and intelligence failures.