Shillong: In a joint operation, Border Security Force (BSF) troops apprehended 10 individuals, including five Bangladeshi nationals, in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district.

The BSF successfully intercepted the group based on a specific input. The group consisted of five Bangladeshis and five Indians. They were travelling in on the Dawki-Amlarem highway.

A BSF spokesperson said that they had crossed the border illegally and entered the West Jaintia Hills district with the motive of settling down.

During preliminary investigations, the detained individuals claimed that they had crossed into India with the intention of permanently settling down.

The apprehended individuals were handed over to the local police, who subsequently arrested them under various laws pertaining to illegal border crossings. This recent operation adds to the tally of 26 Bangladeshi nationals apprehended by the BSF since the beginning of the year.