SOUTH DINAJPUR: A suspected illegal cross-border movement was foiled in West Bengal’s South Dinajpur district after the BSF and police detained 25 Bangladeshi nationals in the Kushmandi area, officials said.
The group was intercepted on October 6, morning in the Lohaganj-Panchanagar area of Maligaon panchayat, reportedly before they could cross the international border into Bangladesh. The development has raised fresh concerns over the movement of foreign nationals using forged Indian identity documents and alleged trafficking networks operating along the border.
BREAKING NEWS 🇮🇳👮♀️🇧🇩
More than 25 Bangladeshi nationals were reportedly detained in South Dinajpur, West Bengal, after allegedly entering India illegally.
🔴 Fake Aadhaar cards and Bangladeshi IDs were reportedly recovered.
🔴 They allegedly worked in J&K for the past 2 years.… pic.twitter.com/Q64cLnUKAc— THEINTEL24X7 (@THEIntel24x7) October 6, 2026
Fake Aadhaar Cards, Bangladeshi IDs recovered
According to the information available, Aadhaar cards and other identity documents were recovered from the detained individuals, who are reportedly residents of Thakurgaon in Bangladesh. Their statements are being video-recorded while the BSF carries out preliminary verification.
The group allegedly claimed to have worked in J&K for the past two years. Authorities are expected to establish how they entered India, where they had been staying and how they allegedly obtained Indian identity documents.
The BSF’s 91st Battalion has initiated the process of handing the detainees over to Kushmandi police for further legal action and investigation.
Rs 12,000 Per Person: Suspected tout detained
The operation also led to the detention of an Indian national, Raju Roy of Kajaltore in Gangarampur, who is suspected of acting as a tout and facilitating the group’s movement.
According to the allegations, Roy was charging approximately Rs 12,000 from each person to facilitate their movement across the border. Investigators are now expected to probe whether he was operating independently or was part of a larger network involved in illegal cross-border movement.
Villagers spot suspicious group
The group was reportedly first noticed by local villagers who became suspicious after seeing several unfamiliar people carrying bags in the area.
When questioned, the individuals allegedly attempted to flee and hide in nearby paddy fields. Villagers subsequently caught them and kept them at a nearby mango orchard before alerting the BSF and police. Security personnel soon reached the location and detained all 25 individuals along with the suspected facilitator.
The incident puts the spotlight once again on the security challenges along West Bengal’s porous international border with Bangladesh. The alleged use of Indian identity documents by foreign nationals could also trigger a wider investigation into document-forging networks and possible local facilitators.
