Murshidabad, 13 July (H.S.): The police in West Bengal's Murshidabad district have arrested two Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian agent for illegal border crossing and human trafficking. The arrests took place late Saturday night near the iron bridge at Kaharpara border under Raninagar Police Station.

The suspects were found loitering and were taken into custody for questioning. During interrogation, two of them confessed to being Bangladeshi citizens, after which all three were arrested.

According to police sources, the arrested Bangladeshi nationals have been identified as Nurul Islam (40) and Mohammad Badsha (30), both residents of Char Bagdanga and Narendrapur villages in the Chapai Nawabganj area of Rajshahi district in Bangladesh. The Indian national has been identified as Lalan Sheikh (32), a resident of Khamarpara village under Raninagar Police Station area in Murshidabad.

The police had received a tip-off on Saturday night that several Bangladeshi nationals were planning to illegally cross the border into India. Acting on this information, a police team led by ASI Sheikh Moidul Islam launy surveillance along the border. The three suspects were spotted near the Kaharpara iron bridge, and upon questioning, the two foreign nationals admitted they had paid the Indian agent, Lalan Sheikh, to facilitate their entry into Indian territory.

Further investigation revealed that Lalan Sheikh had allegedly facilitated the illegal entry of at least seven Bangladeshi nationals into India in exchange for ₹63,000. His plan, police said, was to bring them in gradually in small groups. He had already brought in two when he was apprehended.

During interrogation, the arrested Bangladeshi nationals disclosed that they intended to travel to Kerala to work as migrant laborers.

On Sunday, the trio were presented before the Lalbagh Court with a plea of seven days' police custody.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey