Rising inter-state crimes in Siliguri: Mayor seeks national security status

Siliguri: With a spurt in organised crime involving inter-state criminals, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb has announced plans to urge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to bring Siliguri under the ambit of national security. Citing the city’s geo-strategic location and increasing vulnerabilities, the Mayor emphasised the urgent need for central vigilance also.

“Siliguri is of national importance. It borders four countries—China, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh—through the Chicken’s Neck corridor. Criminals from other states are exploiting this sensitive geography. It is not the sole responsibility of the state to curb crime. Keeping in mind the international borders, the Central government should also share the responsibility,” said Mayor Deb.

Highlighting recent alarming incidents, the Mayor pointed to a rising trend of crimes perpetrated by outsiders. “Most criminals are not locals. They come here, stay in hotels or rented flats under false names, commit crimes and flee,” he said.

In the past 48 hours alone, the city has witnessed multiple cases underscoring the growing threat. In New Palpara, four men posing as gold polishers duped a local resident and fled with a gold chain and ring. Acting swiftly, police arrested the culprits—Pankaj Shaw, Pandav Kumar, Shambhu Shaw and Guddu Mandal—all hailing from Bihar. They had been staying in a hotel in the city.

In another case, burglars broke into a jewelry shop in the Khalpara area by cutting through the ceiling and made off with ornaments worth lakhs of rupees. Meanwhile, in Fulbari, a house was looted while the family was away. Thieves stole Rs 70,000 in cash, mobile phones, and other valuables.

“These incidents reflect a broader pattern of organised inter-state crime. Without better coordination between state and Central agencies, local police forces are stretched thin,” the Mayor added. The Mayor further stated that he has collected data which he will send with the letter to CM.

In another development a major car smuggling racket operating under the guise of a car rental application was busted by Pradhan Nagar police. The mastermind, Somnath Mukherjee from Kolkata, along with three others—Pappu Jha, Niteen Pradhan and Raj Narjinari of Jalpaiguri—

were arrested.

The accused reportedly rented vehicles through a fake app, gained the trust of owners with initial payments, and later vanished with the

vehicles. 14 stolen four-wheelers were recovered from Siliguri and Nagrakata. Some vehicles were being sold in states like Assam and Bihar, while others were smuggled into Nepal.

BD Sarkar, the Inspector in-charge of Pradhan Nagar Police Station stated: "This gang had been active for about two years. We suspect more people are involved and our investigation is ongoing." All the arrested individuals were produced before the Siliguri

court on Sunday.