18 Rohingya refugees arrested for illegally entering country in Tripura

18 Rohingya refugees were today arrested from Teliamura under Khowai district for entering the country illegally, police said.

India shares a 856 Km border with Bangladesh in Tripura. The arrested Rohingyas allegedly escaped from camps in Bangladesh and were heading to New Delhi.

Superintendent of Police (Khowai district) Krishnendu Chakravertty said that acting on a tip-off, police raided a Guwahati-bound bus and arrested the refugees including 11 men, three women and four children.

"They came from Chittagong in neighbouring Bangladesh, but it is not clear which route they followed because they were giving confusing statements. However, they said that they are Rohingiya refugees and were going to Vikashnagar in Delhi in search of jobs, where many other Rohingiyas were staying," the SP said.

On January 14 this year, six Rohingya refugees were arrested from Dharmanagar railway station in North Tripura district, 170 km from here.

Eight others were arrested from Khayerpur market area in West Tripura district, 10 Km from Agartala city, on November 29 last year.

According to police, Rohingya refugees often sneak through Tripura to enter Indian soil.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the Tripura government last October to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees. The ministry had said that infiltration of Rohingyas from the Rakhaine State of Myanmar into Indian territory is a burden on the limited resources of the country.

Security challenges to the country are also aggravated by this influx, it said.

Myanmar"s military Junta regime cancelled nationality of Rohingya Muslims as per provisions of the Myanmar Citizenship Law, 1982.

Many have since fled the county and lakhs are housed at refugee camps in Bangladesh. Several have taken shelter in India.