Assam: 28 declared foreigners shifted to Goalpara transit camp

Guwahati: As many as 28 people from Assam’s Barpeta district have been shifted to a transit camp in Goalpara district after being declared foreigners by a tribunal.

It was an emotional moment for the family members when their relatives were taken away in a bus from the Barpeta Superintendent of Police’s office on Monday (September 2, 2024).

All 28 individuals were taken to the dedicated detention centre, now called a transit camp, in Goalpara’s Matia area.

“All the 28 individuals had been declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunal after appropriate hearings. We shifted these foreign nationals to the transit camp as per the Foreigners Tribunal’s order,” Barpeta Superintendent of Police, Sushanta Biswa Sarma, said.

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The Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies that decide the citizenship status of people living in Assam but suspected to be foreigners.

There are around 100 such Foreigners Tribunals operating in Assam. 

As per protocol, these individuals will be sent back to their country of origin after due process by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), provided they do not move the Gauhati High Court.

The 28 individuals - nine women and 19 men, were escorted to the transit camp under heavy security cover. These people were living in different areas of Barpeta district before being relocated.

The first dedicated detention centre was constructed in Goalpara district’s Matia area for detention of the suspected and declared foreigners found in different parts of Assam.

The centre, having facilities, including hospitals, schools, recreation centres, dining and other amenities can accommodate a total of 3,000 inmates.