‘Will never go to Delhi again’: Sunali visits her home, admitted to hospital in Birbhum

She, however, was admitted to the Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital after she fell sick. She was also kept under medical observation in Malda for 24 hours after she and her eight-year-old son entered the Indian territory from the Mehadipur border outpost on Friday.

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Sunali Khatun on Saturday. PTI

Sunali Khatun (25), the pregnant woman who was brought back from Bangladesh after she along with her husband, son and another family was pushed into the neighbouring country in June this year, on Saturday visited her parental house and met her five-year-old daughter and parents at Paikar village of Birbhum district.

She, however, was admitted to the Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital after she fell sick. She was also kept under medical observation in Malda for 24 hours after she and her eight-year-old son entered the Indian territory from the Mehadipur border outpost on Friday. She was brought home in an ambulance from Malda.

The Supreme Court had recently directed the government to ensure Sunali’s safe return to the country. Her husband Danish Sheikh, Sweety Bibi (32) and her two children, also Birbhum residents, still remain in Bangladesh, as the Centre has contested their Indian citizenship. The government, however, had agreed to bring Sunali back on “humanitarian” grounds.

Speaking to mediapersons at her house where villagers gathered to see her in large numbers on Saturday, Sunali said, “I am grateful to all for bringing me and my son back. But I will not go to Delhi again. It was there that we were picked up by Delhi Police, labelled as illegal and then sent to Bangladesh. We implored the police saying we are Indians and are residents of Bengal. They did not listen to us. Fortunately, I was treated well by police and the jail authorities in Bangladesh.”

Sunali’s father Bhodu Sheikh said, “We are happy and grateful to everyone for bringing her back. Samirul Islam helped us a lot. We pray she delivers a healthy baby here. We want the others to be brought back.”

Sunali, her husband and their children lived in Delhi where they worked as migrant labourers before being detained by police on June 18. They were pushed into Bangladesh on June 26.

Also Read | ‘Want baby to be born in India’: Family despairs, clock ticks for pregnant Sunali Khatun as SC suggests govt to get her back from Bangladesh

“Since my husband and others are still in Bangladesh, I appeal to all to bring them back,” said Sunali.

Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More

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