GUWAHATI | Nine Bangladeshi nationals have been apprehended in Assam’s Dhubri district for allegedly entering the country illegally and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Reiterating the state government’s tough stance on illegal infiltration, Sarma asserted that there would be no compromise on border security. In a post on X late Tuesday night, the Chief Minister said the nine individuals had been handed over to the BSF.

The next step, he indicated, would be to send them back across the India-Bangladesh border. However, Sarma did not disclose the specific location in Dhubri district where the individuals were apprehended. “This is a clear message. If you cross the border illegally, you will face the law.

There will be no compromise on border security. This is the New Assam,” the Chief Minister said in his post. The Assam government has maintained a strict approach towards alleged illegal infiltration, with security personnel continuing to apprehend people suspected of entering the state unlawfully.

The latest incident in Dhubri comes amid the state’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border surveillance and prevent unauthorised crossings. Assam’s Cachar, Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar districts share an international border with Bangladesh spanning approximately 267.5 kilometres. The state has an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sutarkandi in Sribhumi district.

Two other such facilities along the IndiaBangladesh border in the Northeast are located at Dawki in Meghalaya and Akhaura in Tripura. Another Integrated Check Post is situated at Darranga in Assam’s Tamulpur district along the IndiaBhutan border. The apprehension of the nine individuals has once again brought border security and alleged illegal infiltration into focus. However, authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the identities of those apprehended, the exact route they allegedly used to enter India, or the arrangements for their return to Bangladesh.