In a major crackdown on illegal infiltration, South 24 Parganas district’s Baruipur police arrested 24 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, who had allegedly entered India through water routes without valid documentation on Tuesday afternoon.
The arrests were made following a coordinated operation based on inputs from confidential sources, confirmed Baruipur police district superintendent Palash Chandra Dhali.
The group of infiltrators comprises 11 women, nine men and four children.
“All the arrested individuals came by water and none possessed any valid proof of Indian citizenship. A case has been registered against them under the Foreigners Act and we have initiated the legal process to present them in court,” Dhali stated.
The police are currently investigating the exact route and method of their entry into Indian territory. Preliminary findings suggest that an international human trafficking racket may be behind the infiltration. Authorities suspect that traffickers exploited the porous and poorly monitored Sundarbans coastal region, which borders both countries and is known for its difficult terrain and lack of surveillance.
The local administration, in coordination with central agencies, has taken serious note of the situation. Security along the coastal belt is being tightened, and the Coast Guard has been instructed to maintain heightened vigilance in vulnerable areas.
In addition, local residents have been urged to remain alert and inform the authorities if they notice any suspicious or unfamiliar individuals loitering in the area. The administration emphasized that community cooperation will be key in preventing such incidents in the future.
The arrests have once again brought attention to the pressing issues of border security and transnational human trafficking, prompting calls for a more robust strategy to monitor and protect sensitive entry points along India’s eastern border.
Follow us
