By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 20, 2025: RAILWAY Protection Force (RPF) has successfully apprehended 916 individuals, including 586 Bangladeshi nationals and 318 Rohingya since 2021, showing their commitment to safeguard the nation. In June and July 2024, RPF apprehended 88 Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants in areas under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Some of these individuals confessed to entering India illegally and were intercepted while traveling by train to destinations such as Kolkata.

In October 2024, reports highlighted that despite increased security measures along the Bangladesh border, illegal migrants continue to infiltrate India, using Assam as a transit route and railways as their preferred mode of travel to reach other parts of the country. These incidents underscore the challenges faced by Indian authorities in monitoring and securing railway networks against illegal infiltration. The use of railways by infiltrators not only facilitates their movement across states but also complicates efforts to detect and prevent unauthorized entry into the country.

For considering the above issue, the RPF has intensified its efforts by collaborating with key security agencies such as the Border Security Force (BSF), local police, and intelligence units. This inter-agency approach has significantly enhanced operational efficiency, enabling swift identification and detention of individuals involved in illegal migration.

Despite its significant contributions, the RPF is not directly empowered to prosecute apprehended individuals. Instead, detained persons are handed over to police and other authorized agencies for further legal proceedings.

In the light of recent political turmoil going on in the neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar and geopolitical developments  and socio-religious factors in these regions have led to an influx of individuals seeking refuge, employment, and shelter deep within India's hinterlands. It remains a significant concern for national security. While precise statistics on the number of infiltrators using railways are limited, recent reports indicate that illegal migrants often utilize railway networks to transit through regions like Assam and Tripura en route to other parts of India.

The Railway Protection Force has risen to the challenge of addressing this critical issue, playing a pivotal role in identifying and apprehending illegal migrants attempting to penetrate India's borders. These individuals are not only a matter of national security concern but are also highly vulnerable to exploitation, including human trafficking for bonded labor, domestic help, prostitution, and even organ harvesting.