Jammu: Army troops on September 29 arrested 120 Bangladeshi nationals when they were trying to exfiltrate towards Pakistan near international border (IB) in Akhnoor sector of Jammu division, official sources said.

The troops took into custody 120 of them when they were moving towards IB in Badyal Brahmana area of Akhnoor sector around 6.30 am (IST), they said, adding the group also included 25 women and an equal number of children.

After preliminary questioning, they will be handed over to police for further investigation, the sources said.

This is the largest group of Bangladeshis, which has been taken into custody while trying to cross over to Pakistan in the recent past, the sources said, adding earlier groups of only five to 10 used to attempt crossing to the other side of the border.

These Bangladeshis are usually lured by agents on a false promise of providing them jobs in construction works and are brought to Jammu by train and then asked to cross over the border, they said.

PTI