A Bangladeshi couple, Ramzan Ghazi, 36, and Arifa Begum, 34, were apprehended by the police in Howrah district, West Bengal, after allegedly living illegally in India for 14 years. The couple, along with their four children, was found during a raid at a house in the Jagacha police station area. While two children under seven were sent to a shelter home, the other two remained with their mother.
Ramzan, who earned a living by selling various items in the local market, and Arifa reportedly obtained official documents like ration cards, voter identity cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and passports using forged means. They even participated in the previous Lok Sabha elections. However, their names were recently removed from the electoral rolls after a special revision process.
The couple now faces charges of illegal entry and unauthorized stay in India under the Immigration and Foreigners Act. Following their arrest, the state government in Howrah has instructed the police to hand over Bangladeshi infiltrators directly to the Border Security Force if found at the station. Holding centers have been established across districts to detain suspected Bangladeshi nationals or Rohingya infiltrators for up to 30 days, including those awaiting deportation.
