Religious leaders among seven Bangladeshis blacklisted

Meghalaya detains 11 others for illegally entering India

Six religious leaders and a singer from Bangladesh have been blacklisted in India for engaging in “objectionable activities” in Assam and elsewhere in the country.

Their visas had also been cancelled after the Assam government took up their issue with the Centre citing intelligence reports, officials said.

The religious leaders visited Assam a number of times, attended religious functions and also engaged in “preaching harmful things”, the officials said , The singer, identified as Munia Moon, had also violated the tourist visa rules, they said.

“A person who comes with a tourist visa cannot participate in religious and political programmes or business activities. These entail a multipurpose visa,” a Home Department official said.

The action against the seven Bangladeshi nationals followed the detention of 11 others by the police in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district. They were found guilty of illegally entering India.

Two local people and a driver were also detained for facilitating their “illegal entry”. The 11 Bangladeshi nationals include women and children.