Bangladeshi national held along India-Nepal border

Siliguri: Amid the ongoing buzz around the Special Investigation Report (SIR) in West Bengal, a Bangladeshi national was arrested along the Indo-Nepal border area in Panitanki, Siliguri. The accused has been identified as Hemal Chandra Roy (26 years), a resident of Kaharol Police Station area in Dinajpur district, Bangladesh.

According to sources, acting on a tip-off, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel conducted a special operation in the Panitanki area, which lies close to the Indo-Nepal border.

During the operation, they spotted the youth moving suspiciously and detained him for questioning. Upon interrogation, he reportedly revealed that he is a Bangladeshi citizen who had entered India illegally about two and a half months ago.

The accused reportedly worked as a mason in various parts of Bagdogra and Siliguri, frequently changing locations to avoid suspicion.

From his possession, SSB personnel recovered a Bangladeshi citizenship Identity card, a fake Indian Aadhaar card, and a mobile phone. Following the arrest, the accused was handed over to the Kharibari Police for further investigation.

Police have started probing how he crossed the border into India and whether any local or cross-border networks were involved in facilitating his entry.

The accused was produced before the Siliguri court on Sunday.