Siliguri, April 24 -- Nine Bangladeshi nationals, including three minors, were arrested from Fakdaibari area of Siliguri in the early hours of Thursday for illegal entry into India. The Ashighar Outpost Police conducted the raid following a tip-off, leading to the Sanchita Aich Bag
detention of the group from a rented residence.
The arrested Bangladeshis have been identified as Jatin Chandra Roy, Baulo Rani, Balu Chandra Roy, Golapi Rani, Jharna Rani and Sanjeev Roy, all residents of West Fatehpur in Bangladesh and the Indian national has been identified as Nirmal Majumder, the owner of the rented house. They had reportedly entered India around a month ago, fleeing unrest in Bangladesh. The group included two families who allegedly crossed the border via Islampur, North Dinajpur district. According to police sources, the families entered India by scaling a barbed-wire fence, aiming to escape ongoing violence and protect their lives. After arriving in India, they took shelter at the residence of Nirmal Majumdar in Fakdaibari area.
Investigations have revealed that the two families paid a total of Rs 2 lakh to an agent who facilitated their crossing. The family of four reportedly paid Rs 90,000, while the other family, consisting of five members, paid Rs 1.1 lakh.
Rakesh Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said: "They told the police that they had fled to India to escape the unrest in Bangladesh. However, how they managed to cross the border is currently under investigation." All arrested individuals were produced before the Jalpaiguri court on Thursday. The police have initiated a thorough probe to uncover the network involved in the operation and identify other individuals who may be part of this illegal immigration ring.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the ongoing cross-border migration.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.