Nongpoh, Apr 9: A routine police checkpoint operation in Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi near Mawtnum, opposite Excelencia Restaurant on NH-6 along the Shillong-Guwahati lane has led to the detention of five Bangladeshi nationals and an Indian driver on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident unfolded around 3:30 pm when officers from the Nongpoh Police Station intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number AS01SC-4410 during a naka checking operation.
The team flagged down a vehicle, which was carrying five occupants, including one woman, and driven by Shri Mukaddes Ali, a resident of Guwahati.
Upon questioning, the occupants were asked to produce identification documents. Two individuals, identified as Sahin Khan and Rony Khan, presented Aadhaar cards claiming residency in Bengaluru, Karnataka. However, the remaining three—Prasanto Das, Suma Akhtar, and Mahmadul Rahman failed to provide any identification.
Initial verification raised suspicions about the authenticity of the Aadhaar cards presented by Sahin Khan and Rony Khan. Authorities found that the documents could not be validated through the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) database, suggesting they were forged.
Acting on reasonable suspicion, the police detained all six individuals—five passengers and the driver—and brought them to Nongpoh Police Station for further investigation.During interrogation, the detainees confessed to being Bangladeshi nationals who had entered India illegally.
They revealed their true identities as follows: Sahin Akhtar, 31, son of Abdul Khaer, from Balurchor, Bhola, Borisal, Bangladesh. Mozibor Rahman, 42, son of Late Abdul Houladar, from Ekori, Soreotpur, Borisal, Bangladesh. Prasanto Das, 26, son of Late Sushil Das, from Narayan Dohor, Netrokuna, Mymensing, Bangladesh. Suma Akhtar, 27, wife of Mamadur Rahman, from Narkili, Netrokona, Mymensing, Bangladesh. Mamadur Rahman, 32, son of Moibor Rahaman, from Narkili, Netrokona, Mymensing, Bangladesh. Mukaddes Ali, 39 (driver), son of Late Samej Uddin, from Katabari, Datalpara, Guwahati, Assam.
The group admitted to crossing into India through Cheragaon, Shella, without valid travel documents. They disclosed paying Rs. 16,000 each to a middleman from Bangladesh who facilitated their illegal entry.
The middleman allegedly escorted them to the Indian side, where an unidentified vehicle transported them to Shillong. From there, the group was handed over to Mukaddes Ali, the driver of the intercepted vehicle, in the 101 area of Upper Shillong—a location away from typical passenger pick-up points, indicating an intent to evade detection.
Further investigation revealed a coordinated network. The detainees stated that the driver of the initial vehicle from Shella was in contact with the Bangladeshi middleman who gave instructions to ferry them from Shillong toward Guwahati. They were ultimately destined for Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, with an unknown individual awaiting their arrival at Guwahati Railway Station to facilitate the next leg of their journey.
Police suspect a larger conspiracy involving the drivers and the Bangladeshi middleman to smuggle illegal immigrants into India discreetly. The forged Aadhaar cards, used to impersonate Indian citizens, have been seized, and a case has been registered at Nongpoh Police Station.
Authorities are working to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the trafficking network, including the middleman and the unidentified contacts.
