Bengal youth held in Gurgaon on suspicion of being B’desh nat’l released

Cooch Behar: A youth from the Jiranpur area of Cooch Behar-I block was arrested in Gurgaon, Haryana, on Sunday by local police on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national. He was released on Monday evening from the police station in Gurgaon, after his documents were scrutinised. 

The youth, Siroj Alam Miya, son of Zahiruddin Mian, has been working in a hotel in Gurgaon for the past five years. He had earlier lived in Saudi Arabia and is currently settled in Gurgaon with his wife and two children. Both he and his wife are employed there.

According to family sources, Siroj was picked up by police around 4 pm while returning from work. His wife informed his father over the phone that police allegedly detained him for speaking Bengali, accusing him of being an illegal immigrant. His phone was also reportedly seized. On Monday, former MP and Trinamool Congress spokesperson Partha Pratim Roy accompanied Zahiruddin Mian to meet the Additional District Magistrate of Cooch Behar, demanding intervention.

Speaking to the media, Roy said: “Zahiruddin Chacha is a well-known resident of our area. I’ve known the family for years. His son has been working in Gurgaon for five years. He was detained simply because he spoke Bengali. This is unacceptable. We have informed the district administration and will also report the matter to the Chief Minister.”

He further alleged that Bengali-speaking citizens are being targeted in BJP-ruled states. “This isn’t an isolated incident. We will protest and launch a movement if needed,” he added. Notably, a similar case occurred recently near Dinhata, where local workers were mistakenly arrested by Delhi Police and later released after local intervention. Repeated incidents like this are triggering fear among migrant worker families.