A Bangladeshi national was arrested from the Bengdubi Army Camp in Bagdogra on suspicion of espionage, renewing concerns over repeated infiltration attempts at one of north Bengal’s most sensitive military installations. The man allegedly gained access to the camp by posing as a supervisor overseeing road construction inside the premises.
According to reports, this is not the first such incident. In July this year, two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested from the same army camp on similar suspicions, prompting heightened security scrutiny.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakesh Singh of the Siliguri Police Commissionerate confirmed the arrest and said, “The army jawans themselves caught the suspect and handed him over to the police. The arrested person will be presented in the Siliguri Subdivision Court. We will apply for police custody and investigate how and for what purpose the infiltrator entered the army camp. We are also looking into whether others were involved in the incident.”
Police identified the accused as Nanda Mandal, a resident of Charigaon in Munshiganj district of Bangladesh. Investigators found that he had illegally crossed into India in 1990 and had been living in Jalpaiguri since then. It is alleged that he procured an Indian identity card through fraudulent means with the help of a local broker in exchange for a substantial sum of money.
Also read: 31 Bangladeshi fishermen detained for illegal entry into India
Officials said Mandal had worked in various locations under different contractors and was recently appointed as a supervisor for a road construction project inside the Bengdubi Army Camp. On Wednesday, when asked to show his identity documents at the gate, army personnel reportedly found both Indian and Bangladeshi identity cards in his possession.
“We detained Mandal and recovered several important documents from him,” said an Army official.
Preliminary questioning indicated that he had travelled between India and Bangladesh multiple times since entering illegally in 1990. After his detention, he was handed over to Bagdogra police station.
Officials said the army will carry out further questioning once police custody is granted, as investigators attempt to establish the motive behind his infiltration and assess whether any sensitive information may have been compromised. The case has brought renewed focus to the challenges posed by porous borders and the need for stronger verification at strategic defence locations.
Follow us
