Siliguri, 04 June (H.S.) : A Bangladeshi national was arrested at the India-Nepal border in Panitanki, Khoriabari, while allegedly attempting to enter India illegally, officials said on Wednesday.

The arrest was made by personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) deployed at the border checkpoint. During routine verification, the individual’s documents were checked and his visa was found to have expired, following which he was taken into custody.

The accused has been identified as Mohammad Mukhtar Hossain, a resident of Nawabganj area in Dhaka district, Bangladesh. He was subsequently handed over to Khoriabari police station.

According to police sources, the man had originally entered India legally in 2023 with valid travel documents. He had been residing in Kolkata, but later overstayed after his visa expired. He reportedly travelled to Nepal through intermediaries after his documents became invalid.

During interrogation, the accused stated that he attempted to re-enter India through the border after learning about ongoing enforcement actions against illegal migrants, including identification, deportation, and eviction drives in the state.

Based on a complaint filed by the SSB, police registered a case against him under relevant legal provisions and arrested him. He is scheduled to be produced before the Siliguri court on Thursday. Investigations are underway.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh