The Assam Police, a day after 17 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in the state, said Bangladeshi clerics are radicalizing young men of the state.

They alleged on Sunday that the clerics of the neighbouring country are violating visa norms by organizing religious meets in remote areas of the state.

Due to this reason, the Assam Government had written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about the incidents and as a result many Bangladeshi clerics have been banned from the state for repeatedly violating visa norms.

Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said, “There is a tendency, especially in Lower Assam and Barak Valley, to invite Bangladeshi clerics on tourist visas for religious preaching. These clerics are violating the rules of the tourist visas issued to them by radicalising young men of the state.”

“We have told the arrested Bangladeshis that Assam Police will be strict. The 17 who were arrested had come to Assam on tourist visas but did not visit any of the main attractions in Assam. All they did was preaching their religion. Religious preaching violated the norms of the visas issued to them,” he added.

Notably, 17 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Behali in Biswanath district of Assam on Saturday.

The Bangladeshi nationals had entered into India through Cooch Behar. They carried tourist visas to enter into India.

They had travelled to many religious places across India. They had also allegedly organised religious meetings in various places including Delhi, Ajmer Sharif, etc.