Seven Bangladeshis attempting to enter West Bengal through the Murshidabad border were apprehended by police and subsequently transferred to a newly established ‘holding centre’ in Lalgola, Murshidabad district. The arrests took place after the individuals were caught crossing the border under the cover of darkness. The ‘holding centre’ where they were placed had been inaugurated in Lalgola following an announcement by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Police officers from the Jalangi police station intercepted the seven individuals who were later identified as residents of the Daulatpur police station area in Kushtia district, Bangladesh. The detainees, who had entered West Bengal with the help of a broker, claimed to have come in search of work. The administration has heightened surveillance and arrests in border areas following a directive on the infiltration issue.
The West Bengal government recently mandated the establishment of ‘holding centres’ in each district to detain individuals suspected of being Bangladeshi or Rohingya for up to 30 days. Those held in these facilities, including individuals previously detained or in the process of deportation, will be handed over to the Border Security Force for repatriation to their respective countries.
