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Basirhat police in Bengal arrest 22 ‘Rohingya people’ living in under-construction house

According to the police in Baduria, when the accused were questioned, it came to light that they had infiltrated into India from Bangladesh more than 10 years ago.

2 min readKolkataUpdated: Jun 14, 2025 04:38 PM IST

Rohingya, Bengal police, Rohingya arrest,

When the accused were questioned, it came to light that they had infiltrated into India from Bangladesh more than 10 years ago. (Express photo)

Basirhat police in West Bengal on Friday arrested 22 people, including two pregnant women, alleged to be Rohingya after they recently started living in an under-construction house in Baduria.

Sources with the police said that on Friday, residents of Labanga village under Sayestanagar Gram Panchayat in Baduria noticed that some people were staying in an under-construction house in the area. They approached the occupants of the house and questioned them, following which it emerged that they were Rohingya.

Subsequently, the villagers detained all of them and informed the police. Officers arrived soon and arrested them, sources said.

Hossain Mehedi Rehman, Superintendent of Police (SP), Basirhat, said, “We arrested all 22 suspects. We are investigating why they came here and what their identity is.”

A senior police officer said, “Women and children are also there in the group. Two women are pregnant. Some of them also have refugee cards.”

According to the Baduria police, when the accused were questioned, it came to light that they had infiltrated into India from Bangladesh more than 10 years ago. They then went to Hyderabad and worked as daily-wage labourers and ragpickers.

During the last one month, when local residents there started identifying them as Bangladeshi immigrants, the group fled to West Bengal, planning to make their way back to Bangladesh through illegal means, officers said. Till then, they planned to stay at the under-construction house.

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Panchayat member Hakim Sheikh said, “Residents felt suspicious seeing strangers in the area in a large group. We informed the police and administration. The police then arrested all of them.”

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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