Poaturkuthi: 4 Indians held on suspicion of being B’deshis

Cooch Behar: Four Indian nationals from Poaturkuthi, a former Bangladehi enclave in the Dinhata II block of Cooch Behar district, were detained by the Delhi Police on suspicion of being Bangladeshi citizens while working in Delhi. The detention sparked protests in their hometown, with locals submitting a written complaint along with legal documents to Sahebganj Police Station, demanding their release.

According to Saddam Mia, a resident of Poaturkuthi, the detained individuals — Zahidul Sheikh, Shahidul Sheikh, Chamad Sheikh and Habibar Ali — were former enclave residents who became Indian citizens after the India-Bangladesh enclave exchange. Like many others, they migrated to Delhi for employment.

On Tuesday, they were detained by Delhi Police. It is alleged that despite presenting valid Indian citizenship documents, they were taken into custody. Upon receiving the news, their families and local residents submitted additional proof of citizenship to Sahebganj Police Station to facilitate their release.

Dhiman Mitra, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, stated: “Based on the complaint, we forwarded all necessary documents to higher authorities and the Delhi Police has now released the four individuals.”