GUWAHATI: Twenty seven Bangladeshi nationals were detained by the police in Assam’s Dhubri district.
The persons, who had arrived in the state ahead of COVID-19 lockdown, were travelling in two minibuses. The vehicles were intercepted by the police at Bahalpur under Chapar police station in the district during a routine frisking.
The Bangladeshis claimed they had arrived on a tourist visa. The police said they were examining their travel documents.
Official sources said the Bangladeshi nationals were travelling from Upper Assam’s Jorhat, around 470 km east of Chapar, on curfew passes issued in the name of a local contractor.
“They were working in Assam against existing rules that do not permit a foreigner, who arrived on a tourist visa, to do so,” the sources said, adding, “They were desperate to return to Bangladesh.”
Dhubri Superintendent of Police Yuvraj Singh said the police were examining if their passports were genuine and if they overstayed in the country. He said action as per the law would be initiated against them if found guilty.
The authorities were organising their health check-up. The two vehicles were also seized.