West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Siliguri, June 8: Eight Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested from Siliguri Junction railway station following a joint operation by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP), based on a tip-off received on Sunday night.

The individuals had arrived at Siliguri Junction aboard the Radhikapur Express. Preliminary investigation suggests that all eight had been working as labourers in various parts of India, particularly in Delhi, for an extended period. They were allegedly attempting to return to Bangladesh via Siliguri.

The accused reportedly stated that they intended to cross the border into Bangladesh via Haldibari route after reaching Siliguri. However, during checking, they failed to produce any valid travel documents such as passports or visas, leading to their immediate arrest.

Senior Railway Superintendent of Police Kunar Bhushan Singh said on Monday that the joint team acted on specific intelligence inputs and conducted the operation at the station. He added that during questioning, the detainees admitted they had entered India in search of work and were now attempting to return to their home country.

Now investigating the exact route through which they originally entered India and whether any organised network or trafficking syndicate is involved in facilitating such movements.

Police sources confirmed that among the arrested individuals, four are residents of Dinajpur district and the other four are from Nilphamari district in Bangladesh. A case has been registered against them under the Foreigners Act, and they are scheduled to be produced before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court on Monday.

Further investigation is underway, and police are seeking custody of the accused to gather more details about possible cross-border networks and illegal migration patterns.