News In Brief

Mrs. Gandhi in border state to ease immigration problem

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met leaders of Assam's anti-immigrant movement here for the first time in four years to discuss the illegal-alien problem in the northeastern Indian state, news reports said Wednesday.

Student-led groups in Assam have been pressing for the deportation of more than 1 million alleged illegal immigrants who entered the oil-rich, tea-growing state over the past three decades. The protesters complain of being economically harmed and culturally swamped by the immigrants.

The Bangladesh government has denied that it lets its people enter India illegally.