Culture & Entertainment · India Bureau
Meghalaya to convert school hostel into detention facility for foreign nationals
The northeastern state plans to repurpose a school board hostel to hold around 30 foreign nationals, primarily from Bangladesh, who have completed their prison sentences but remain in custody. Some detainees have been held for over five years beyond their original sentences.
LSN India ·
Meghalaya authorities have announced plans to convert a school board hostel into a detention centre for foreign nationals who have exceeded their prison terms but cannot be deported. The facility is expected to accommodate approximately 30 individuals, the majority of whom are Bangladeshi citizens.
The decision comes as state prisons face overcrowding issues related to a growing number of foreign detainees whose deportation processes have stalled. Officials cited the lack of adequate detention facilities specifically designed for such cases as a key reason for the conversion project.
According to available records, several detainees have remained in custody for more than five years after completing their sentences. The prolonged detention has raised concerns about legal procedures governing the incarceration of foreign nationals beyond their conviction terms.
The repurposed facility is intended to provide better administrative separation between foreign detainees and the general prison population. State authorities have not yet announced a timeline for the hostel's conversion or the anticipated date when foreign nationals will be transferred to the new centre.
The move reflects broader challenges faced by northeastern states in managing immigration-related detentions and deportation procedures. Officials indicated that improved facilities may help streamline the processing of cases pending with immigration and diplomatic authorities.