Residents of Pathanamthitta were left stunned after the sudden exposure of a man they had known for years as “Kolkotta Bayee” Jewel King, who is now alleged to be an illegal Bangladeshi national living in Kerala. For nearly five years, he lived and worked among the people of Poovathoor-Kunnam-Nellikkal in Koyipram Panchayath, earning their trust and securing regular employment as a daily wage labourer.
The revelation came unexpectedly when local resident Kalarikkal Rajesh attempted to contact the Jewel King on his mobile phone to assign him work. When repeated calls went unanswered, Rajesh checked his WhatsApp profile and was shocked by what he saw. The status reportedly displayed Jewel King’s photograph with an AK-47 rifle, accompanied by the slogan “I Love Bangladesh”. The post was also said to contain messages opposing the expulsion of illegal Bangladeshis from West Bengal.
Jewel King’s background featured the Bangladesh flag, Parliament, and other monuments. He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. The picture showed him standing on a riverbank. Also visible was a direction board pointing towards the south-eastern coastal area of Cox’s Bazar, the forest region of Sundarbans, the northern city of Sylhet, etc.
This terrorist lived in Poovathoor for five years as a “Kokotta Bayee”. Whenever people asked about his native place, he would answer, “Kolkkotta”. He used to go “home” every six months.
Jewel King was five-and-a-half feet tall and had a well-built body. During the initial months, he worked for Rajan, a small-time contractor. When Rajan did not have work, he would take up other jobs. He used to play the Quran on his mobile phone while working. His daily wage was Rs 1,100. He managed communication in broken English. He earned the sympathy of the people by speaking about the financial difficulties faced by his family.
Jewel King’s profile picture and WhatsApp status justify the allegation that the majority of the “Bangali Bayees” whom Kerala embraced with open arms are Bangladeshis.
The international border, the ‘zero line’, between Bengal and Bangladesh is broken in several places. This made crossing the border easy for Jewel King and his compatriots. Malda, Cooch Behar, and Murshidabad are the districts close to the zero line. Here, around 300 villages remain without fencing.
When CPM’s Jyoti Basu was the Chief Minister, infiltration from Bengal was not significant. However, during Mamata Banerjee’s period, it grew to a much higher level and expanded exponentially. It is alleged that Mamata govt gave them Aadhaar cards and ration cards, thanks to her vote-bank politics. Thus, Bengal turned into a safe haven for Islamic radical and terrorists. Most of them hide their hatred towards Bharat in their minds and start rioting when the atmosphere permits. Jewel King is a living example of this.
Hindu organisations and RSS and VHP have been warning for a long time that the majority of the Bengali Muslims in Kerala are Bangladeshis. However, vote-bank politicians brushed aside the warning.
The latest revelation has further fuelled concerns among groups that have long warned about the presence of illegal Bangladeshis in Kerala. They argue that the case highlights the need for stricter verification mechanisms and closer monitoring of foreign nationals residing and working in the state.
