At least 60 undocumented migrant labourers were pushed back by state police while trying to enter Manipur through Jiribam border check post at Manipur -Assam border, about 222 km west of here, official sources said on Sunday.
Police personnel led by officer in charge of Jiribam police station Y.Muhindro and foreigner police post officer in charge Tajudin Khan, halted several labourers at Jiribam check post yesterday and verified each and every document, the sources said.
Sixty labourers who could not speak Manipuri or any tribal dialect and appeared to be Bangladeshi nationals with no valid documents were found at the other side of the check post in Assam, the sources said adding that they were not allowed to enter Manipur.
Official sources said the state government had already informed about the detection of 43 illegal migrant labourers from Bangladesh and Myanmar on August 30 last during combing operations in Imphal east and Thoubal districts of Manipur.
While 24 migrants Bangladeshis were detected at Golapati Hatta area in Imphal east district during the search operation, 19 Myanmarese nationals were found during search operations at Lilong area in Thoubal district, sources said.
Earlier, official sources had said the 19 Myanmarese migrant labourers were also from Bangladesh but they now clarified that they were from Arakan areas of Myanmar bordering with Bangladesh.
Official sources said the 24 Bangladeshi nationals were mostly from Latsahi, Nabganj, Chappai Nabganj and Rajek districts in that country.
Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Y.Joy Kumar said the entry of illegal migrants in the state was a ‘very serious matter’ and all out efforts would be made to identify and deport them to their respective countries.
Manipur Home minister Gaikhangam had earlier said that steps had been taken to intensify checking of undocumented migrants at three major border points——Jiribam (Assam-Manipur border), Mao (Manipur-Nagaland border) and Moreh (Manipur-Myanmar border).
Gaikhangam said state police forces had been instructed to remain strict vigil at the border points and also intensify checking of undocumented migrants at all the districts in the state adding that this process would continue in the state for sometime.
Meanwhile, Manipur government has initiated process to deport the detected undocumented foreign migrant labourers in the state to their respective countries, official sources said adding that the Union Home ministry has been urged to take necessary steps in this regard.
While the 24 Bangladeshi migrant labourers were in jail, the Myanmarese migrant labourers were still in police custody, sources said added.
