Three Bangladeshi women were apprehended for unlawfully crossing into India without proper documentation. They were taken into custody from the Guwahati-Bengaluru Express after boarding the train from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station and being intercepted at Malda station. The women, residents of Bangladesh, lacked valid travel papers and were formally arrested late Sunday night. They are scheduled to appear before a court in Malda Town on Monday.
Authorities revealed that the women, originating from Mymensingh district in Bangladesh, allegedly entered India with the aid of a broker, bypassing the Assam-Bangladesh border. It is believed that intermediaries arranged for their journey to Karnataka for employment purposes. The trio boarded the Guwahati-Bengaluru Express from NJP with this intent.
The Railway Police, during routine checks on the train, identified the women in the general compartment and questioned them. The women confessed to being Bangladeshi nationals who entered India without the requisite documents. They disclosed that after crossing the border near Sylhet, they continued their journey by train, heading towards Bengaluru in search of work.
Legal actions have been initiated against the detained women, with investigations focused on their entry route and the circumstances surrounding their illegal entry into the country. The Malda Town Railway Protection Force (RPF) transferred the women to the Government Railway Police (GRP) for further proceedings, registering a case against them for illegal border crossing and entry without valid documentation.
Authorities are also looking into the possibility of organized human trafficking or cross-border smuggling networks facilitating the movement of these individuals. With the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, heightened surveillance by state and railway police is in place to monitor potential illegal cross-border activities, especially in districts bordering Bangladesh.
