B’deshi youth held while trying to cross border

BALURGHAT: A Bangladeshi youth was arrested by police near the Hili border in South Dinajpur on Monday evening while allegedly attempting to cross back into Bangladesh. The incident occurred when the youth, upon spotting a police vehicle, started running, raising suspicion.

The police chased and eventually caught him.

During interrogation, the youth identified himself as Mohammad Masum (28), a resident of Lakshmipur Police Station area in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Police sources revealed that Masum had illegally entered India about six months ago through the Hili border with the help of brokers and later went to Chennai, where he worked in a private company. Facing several issues there regarding his identity, he fled back to Hili around November 1 and had been hiding in a secret shelter since then. Police suspect that Masum was planning to return to Bangladesh amid growing panic over the SIR process. On Monday, while moving towards the border, he was intercepted by a police patrol team. No valid documents from either country were found in his possession except a mobile phone.

DSP (Sadar) Bikram Prasad said: “During patrolling, a youth started fleeing after seeing the police vehicle. Our team chased and arrested him. A preliminary investigation confirmed that he is a Bangladeshi national. He was produced before the district court on Tuesday.”

Additional Public Prosecutor Shibaji Singha Roy added: “The accused was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court. Police sought five days’ remand, which was granted by the court.”