Kolkata: Security concerns have intensified along the India-Bangladesh border after the West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) arrested a suspected Pakistani national allegedly living illegally in India and probing officials said he may have links with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.
The accused, identified as Rana Rauf alias Wahab Alam, is reportedly a resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan. He was arrested from Bangaon in North 24 Parganas, close to the India-Bangladesh border, following specific intelligence inputs, officials said.
A second person was also arrested from Topsia in Kolkata late August 11. Investigators suspect that he was in direct contact with Rauf and had allegedly assisted him in several ways. His identity has not been disclosed, as questioning continues to establish the extent of his involvement and whether additional people were part of the network.
According to investigators, Rauf allegedly entered India illegally through Nepal in 2012. He is believed to have spent some time in Nepal before travelling to West Bengal, where he subsequently settled.
The long period allegedly spent inside India has now become a major focus of the investigation.
Officials are examining how Rauf managed to remain in the country for years, what identity and documentation he used, whom he came into contact with and whether anyone facilitated his continued stay.
Investigators are also trying to determine whether his activities were part of a broader intelligence-gathering network. The most serious allegation emerging from the preliminary investigation concerns Rauf’s reported interest in the movement of trains and personnel connected with the armed forces.
According to STF officials, Rauf had been tracking the movement of various trains and armed forces in India. Investigators are now attempting to establish exactly what information he was collecting, how frequently it was gathered and whether it was communicated to anyone outside the country.
Officials have said they suspect Rauf of having links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), but the nature and extent of any such relationship are still being investigated.
🚨 HUGE! After the ARREST of three suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) operatives, West Bengal STF has ARRESTED Wahab Alam alias Rana Rauf, a suspected Pakistani ISI agent, in North 24 Parganas.
The probe is looking into alleged links to Pakistan-based handlers & a possible terror…
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) August 12, 2026
The second accused, arrested in Topsia, is being questioned to determine how closely he was connected to Rauf and whether he helped him obtain documents, move around the country or communicate with other individuals.
Investigators are also looking for evidence that could establish whether the case involves a wider espionage network rather than an isolated individual. Rauf’s arrest from Bangaon, one of the strategically sensitive areas along West Bengal’s border with Bangladesh, adds another dimension to the case.
The region has long been an important corridor because of its proximity to the international border and the volume of cross-border movement and security activity in the area. The arrest has consequently placed renewed attention on the mechanisms used to detect illegal entry and movement across the eastern frontier.
Officials are examining whether Rauf’s presence in Bangaon was linked to any attempt to move towards Bangladesh or whether he had other objectives there. A Bengali report said an official line that Rauf may have sought to move towards Bangladesh, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the case is the alleged timeline. If investigators’ account of an illegal entry in 2012 is established, Rauf may have spent roughly 14 years in India before his arrest in 2026.
The STF is now expected to reconstruct Rauf’s movements and associations over the entire period of his stay in India.
The authorities are also trying to ascertain whether the alleged intelligence-gathering was directed towards specific military installations, railway routes or other strategic assets, and whether any material was shared with handlers or contacts abroad.
