Daijiworld Media Network - Murshidabad

Murshidabad, Nov 29: Twelve Bangladeshi nationals were taken into custody in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district for allegedly residing in India without valid documents. Alongside them, police also arrested an Indian national accused of facilitating their illegal entry and providing them shelter.

The arrests were made late Friday following a targeted raid in Gopalpur village under the Hurshi gram panchayat in the Islampur area. The operation was initiated based on a tip-off from a confidential source, police officials said.

The Indian accused has been identified as Saber Ali, who is believed to have arranged accommodation for the Bangladeshi nationals and assisted their stay in the village. According to police sources, none of the foreign nationals possessed proper documentation allowing them to remain in India.

All 13 individuals are scheduled to be produced before a Murshidabad court on Saturday, where the police will request 10 days of custody to continue the probe. Investigators are working to determine how long the group had been living in the area, the reasons behind their illegal entry, and whether additional individuals were involved or are still in hiding.

The arrested Bangladeshi nationals have been identified as: Mohammad Aul (25), Abdul Khalek (38), Sumon Ali (30), Sukuddin (26), Khabir (19), Shahidul (35), Mohammad Sabbir (22), Mohammad Ziaurul Haque (38), Mazdar Ali (36), Mohammad Khairul (27), Mohammad Roni (23) and Ruhul Amin (34).

A senior Murshidabad district police officer confirmed the arrests and noted that the investigation aims to uncover the full scope of the network that enabled their entry and stay.