Assam pushes back 305 infiltrators in seven months, says CM Himanta Sarma

New Delhi, Feb 14: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Thursday that the state government has repelled 305 infiltrators over the past seven months, with a significant portion of them being Bangladeshi nationals, The Assam Tribune reported.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to curbing illegal immigration, Sarma highlighted the growing infiltration attempts, particularly from Bangladesh. In January, he noted that both Assam and Tripura were witnessing a surge in such incidents, driven by the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh since August 2024.

According to Sarma, security forces intercept between 20 to 30 infiltration attempts daily in Assam and Tripura. He further revealed that approximately 1,000 individuals were sent back in 2024 alone.

The Chief Minister attributed the rise in illegal crossings to economic distress in Bangladesh, particularly the collapse of its textile industry. He alleged that some Indian textile company owners were encouraging infiltration to secure cheap labor.

Expressing concern over the escalating situation, Sarma stated that the central government was equally alarmed. "I have raised the issue at the North East Council meeting and discussed it with Union Home Minister Amit Shah," he said.

In December, the Chief Minister had warned of strict action against infiltrators and extremist elements from Bangladesh attempting to destabilize Assam. "Several infiltrators and jihadist groups from Bangladesh have been arrested recently. While troublemakers exist, this government will take decisive steps against them. We are a bold administration, and we will not allow any attempt to create unrest in the state," he asserted.