Indian students studying in strife-hit Bangladesh were being evacuated through integrated check posts (ICPs) in Meghalaya and Tripura which share border with the neighbouring country.

The first batch of at least 359 students, mostly from India, were evacuated through the Agartala and Srimantapur ICPs in Sonamura in Tripura on Saturday evening, another 115 students were evacuated through the Dawki ICP in Meghalaya, which received over 517 Indian students over the past three days. Students from Nepal, Bhutan and Canada have also crossed into India, especially through Dawki ICP.

Nearly 120 students hailing from Assam have returned from Bangladesh, which has been rocked by violent protests, over the last few days, a senior official said on Sunday, adds PTI.

The majority of students, who have entered India through these three ICPs located along the international border, pursuing medical education in the neighbouring country which has been in the grip of violent anti-job quota protests that have claimed the 100 lives and left thousands injured this week, according to news agency PTI.

The students who crossed into Tripura are mostly from the Brahmanbaria Medical College Hospital and Comilla Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh where the cost of pursuing a five-year medical course is cheaper than in India. Besides Indian students, there were also students from Nepal who crossed into Tripura on Saturday.

Students told the media in Agartala that they decided to leave after the administration shut down colleges and the internet.

They also said that the Bangladesh police had ensured their safe passage to the border, and from there they were assisted by the BSF and the Tripura state administration.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said in a post on X on Saturday evening, “Our medical students from Bangladesh have safely crossed the Sonamura border in Tripura. All the formalities are being completed for their onward journey to Shillong.”

Sangma also thanked foreign minister S. Jaishankar and his Tripura chief minister Manik Saha “for all arrangements and BSF for all assistance”.

He also said his government was in constant touch with the Indian Embassy and medical colleges in Bangladesh for the evacuation of our students. “Buses have been kept on standby in Agartala and other logistics arranged to bring our students home safely,” Sangma said.

Sources said at least 250 people have crossed into Tripura, including civilians, on Saturday.

In preparation for their arrival, Meghalaya officials were coordinating with their counterparts in Tripura and the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh for the “safe evacuation of the students”.

Besides evacuation through the Tripura ICPs at Srimantapur and Agartala on Saturday, 517 Indian students entered India through the Dawki ICP in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district since Thursday.

Besides Indian students, 327 students from Nepal, eight students from Bhutan and one from Canada studying in Bangladesh have also entered India through Dawki. The number of students from Meghalaya who have entered India through Dawki and Tripura stands at 128 till date.

A BSF statement issued from Agartala on Saturday evening said Indian students were returning to India from Bangladesh through different ICPs along Tripura.

Indian and other foreign students studying in Bangladesh were returning to India as the “agitation has now become violent” and till 4 pm, around 100 students, including those from Nepal have returned using valid documents, the statement said.

“More are expected and are on the way,” the statement said, adding the border force was “closely monitoring the situation across the border and troops are on high alert”.

Sources said at least 250 people, including students from Nepal, had crossed into Tripura by evening.