In a significant security development, 22 Rohingya nationals, including 11 adults and 11 children, were arrested near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Baduria, North 24 Parganas. The arrests have reignited concerns over internal security, border surveillance, and the broader implications of illegal immigration.
The group was discovered late Friday night in an under-construction house in Lavanga village, situated just five-km from the international border. Locals first noticed the unfamiliar group and immediately informed the Baduria Police Station.
Officers quickly cordoned off the area and apprehended the 11 adult infiltrators, who were later formally arrested after initial interrogation.
According to initial police investigations, the group allegedly planned to cross back into Bangladesh, claiming they wanted to return to Rohingya refugee camps. However, officials have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this claim.
From Myanmar to Hyderabad to Bengal
Police reports revealed that all 22 individuals are originally from Myanmar and they initially entered Bangladesh, residing in Rohingya camps. “They illegally crossed into India 10 years ago, settling in Hyderabad and over the past decade, they worked and lived there, some with families,” said a police officer.
Recently, amid growing fear of arrest due to the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants, especially Bangladeshi nationals, they fled Hyderabad.
The group reportedly travelled by train to Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, stayed briefly before relocating to Lavanga village. “They arrived on Thursday night in three diesel-powered auto-rickshaws.and took shelter in the under-construction house before being spotted,” said the police officer.
Local resident Antu Khan confirmed the group’s arrival and said, “They spoke in Burmese or Hindi, not Bengali. They said they were from Myanmar and planned to return to Bangladesh with help from brokers. If infiltrators can gather like this, what does it say about our internal security?”
The arrest has sparked outrage among villagers, who have sharply criticized the Border Security Force (BSF) for failing to prevent such infiltration despite heavy border deployment.
Basirhat Police District Superintendent Hossain Mehdi Rahman confirmed that none of the arrested individuals had any valid documentation. “We are conducting detailed interrogations to uncover how they entered and through whom. A full-scale investigation is underway,” he said.
This incident is expected to further polarize political debate around immigration policies, border enforcement, and national security. It underscores the urgent need for better surveillance along India’s porous eastern border and stringent vetting mechanisms to deal with illegal immigration and its associated risks.
