Monday, 12 AUGUST 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The police in Roorkee have apprehended a Bangladeshi national who had been allegedly living secretly in the city under a false identity. The arrest has raised alarms within the police and intelligence agencies, as the suspect has been providing conflicting information regarding his arrival in the country.
Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, a significant incident has come to light in Roorkee, Haridwar district. According to the Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal, some residents noticed a suspicious person near a local shop in the Dhandera area under the Civil Lines Police Station’s jurisdiction in Roorkee late on Saturday. They suspected foul play due to his unusual manner of speaking and informed the police. The police arrived at the scene and brought the suspect to the police station for questioning. However, as there was no one on-site who understood Bengali, the police sought the assistance of a Bengali-speaking person from IIT Roorkee. The suspect, identified as Rahimul (43), belongs to Hakimpur village, Nurdeep Tehsil, Pabna district of Bangladesh. The accused revealed that he had entered India illegally three months ago. He crossed the Benapur border from Bangladesh and travelled through Murshidabad and Sealdah to reach Kolkata by train. Since then, he had been wandering around various places in India. Recently, he heard about the upcoming Urs Mela in Piran Kaliyar in Haridwar district and arrived in Roorkee by train, intending to stay there until the event began. When the police asked Rahimul for his visa, passport, or any form of identification, he was unable to produce any documents. Consequently, a case was registered against him under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, Section 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, and Section 12 of the Passport Act. The Haridwar police, with significant support from Military Intelligence, are conducting further investigations into the case. The Bangladeshi national is currently under police custody, where various investigative agencies are conducting detailed inquiries, the SSP said. It was also informed that the area where the accused was arrested is in close proximity to a military zone, further intensifying the investigation. Both the police and Intelligence agencies are meticulously interrogating him to determine whether he has any connections with individuals or organisations that might pose a security threat. The police said that efforts are also underway to identify any local contacts or accomplices who may have assisted him during his stay in Roorkee.
In the wake of this arrest, Intelligence agencies are closely monitoring social media reactions and keeping a watchful eye on minority-dominated areas to prevent any potential unrest. Additionally, the police are gathering information on other Bangladeshis who might be residing illegally in the Haridwar district.
