BALURGHAT: A regular Monday evening in Balurghat took a dramatic turn as residents witnessed a series of ‘mysterious’ bright lights in the sky, triggering widespread curiosity and concern.
Around dusk, while some people were relaxing at tea stalls after a day’s work and others were out for their evening strolls, 10 to 12 luminous dots appeared suddenly in the sky, capturing everyone’s attention.
Speculation spread quickly. Some believed the lights to be drones, while others claimed they were satellites from Elon Musk’s Starlink internet constellation. However, beneath the surface of these theories was a growing sense of unease—primarily because Balurghat lies just two kilometres from the India-Bangladesh border.
Recent tensions between India and Pakistan, with Bangladesh reportedly leaning towards Pakistan, have heightened anxiety in the region. Earlier this month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hinted at the involvement of Bangladesh in the breaching of a low-height embankment near Balurghat.
The breach led to flooding in parts of the district, allegedly due to the sudden release of water from a dam in Mohanpur, Bangladesh, adjacent to Kumarganj in South Dinajpur.
The latest incident, with unidentified flying lights crisscrossing the night sky, has only deepened the suspicion among locals. Eyewitnesses reported that the glowing objects were first seen in the southwestern part of the sky before drifting northward. Some described them as faint green in colour.
Despite the stir, no official confirmation or explanation has been provided by the authorities so far. South Dinajpur Superintendent of Police Chinmay Mittal said: “We have received information about the incident. Verification
is underway. It would be premature to comment now. We are analysing some visuals and only after that can we come to a conclusion.”
District Magistrate Bijin Krishna also acknowledged the incident, stating: “We have received reports. The matter is being looked into. Investigations are ongoing.”