4 Cameroon natives held for entering India sans valid docus

DARJEELING: Four natives of Cameroon were arrested from Naxalbari near the Indo Nepal border in Darjeeling district for sneaking into India from Nepal without carrying proper travel documents.

The four youths had come to Nepal to play football matches. However, they got stuck in Nepal owing to COVID-19 lockdown. On Sunday evening, the four had arrived at the Indo-Nepal border at Panitanki in the Kharibari block of the Darjeeling district.

They managed to cross over through the open border. They had then boarded a bus for Siliguri. The Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB) had received a tip off regarding the four. SSB 41 Battalion personnel nabbed the four from Naxalbari bus stand.

After questioning, they were handed over to the Naxalbari police station. All four had passports of the Republic of Cameroon but no Indian visas.

Alexis Ismael Effa (20 year of age) of Oveng; Djingue Mouhamadou Mossi (19 years) of Eseka; Jardel Sedar Abanda Abzouap ( 23 years) of Akonolinga and Beyegue Beleme (22 years) of Bokito, Cameroon, were produced before the ACJM court in Siliguri on Monday.

"We had prayed for police custody. The four were remanded in police custody for seven days. We are investigating the case," stated Iftikar Ul Hasan, OC, Naxalbari police station.