Assam Foreign Tribunal declares 28 people as foreigners, transfers them to transit camp

Twenty-eight people, including nine women, from Barpeta district in Assam were transferred to a transit camp in Goalpara after being declared foreigners by a tribunal, police confirmed on Tuesday.

According to PTI, the relocation, which took place on Monday, was a heart-wrenching scene for the family members, who watched as their family members were placed on a bus at the Superintendent of Police’s office before being taken to the detention centre, now designated as a transit camp. The detainees were under heavy security during the transfer to the camp at Matia in Goalpara district.

Barpeta Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma stated that the individuals had been declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunal after thorough hearings. "As per the tribunal’s order, we executed the transfer of these foreign nationals to the camp," Sarma said.

The Foreigners Tribunals in Assam, which number around 100, are quasi-judicial bodies tasked with determining the citizenship status of those suspected to be foreigners. The process for those declared foreigners involves possible repatriation to their country of origin following the necessary procedures by the Ministry of External Affairs, provided they do not appeal to the Gauhati High Court.

The detainees had been residing in various parts of Barpeta district before their relocation. The dedicated detention centre at Matia was the first such facility built by the government to house individuals identified as foreigners in Assam.