Dhubri detention: police question 36 suspected Bangladeshi nationals

The Dhubri detention of 36 men suspected of entering India illegally is being investigated by Assam Police, officers said on October 30. The men were stopped at Jogamaya Ferry Ghat after arriving by boat at about 10.30 am.

A senior officer said police acted on intelligence and checked the group's documents. According to the officer, those checks indicated that the men were residents of Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh's Rajshahi Division.

Dhubri Senior Superintendent of Police Debashish Bora led the operation. He said officers were questioning the men and had not yet established their purpose, precise method of entry or intended destination.

Police examine journey and entry route

Initial police inquiries suggested the group crossed the international border in Meghalaya before reaching Assam through South Salmara-Mankachar district. Investigators said the suspected entry had taken place roughly three days earlier, but the route remained under examination.

An investigating officer said the men subsequently travelled by boat from Hatsingimari towards Dhubri. Around 120 passengers were aboard, and police identified the 36 during screening, according to the officer.

Officers also reported recovering documents and mobile phones. The Dhubri detention inquiry includes examining how the men entered the country and where they planned to go.

Bora said action would follow the applicable laws. He added that the border department would handle the deportation process in consultation with the relevant authorities.

According to reports, Assam uses the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, in such cases. A standard operating procedure approved by the state Cabinet in September last year authorises district commissioners to issue expulsion orders when they consider a person to be a foreigner.

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