8 Bangla nat’ls, Indian ‘provider of shelter’ held

Kolkata: Eight Bangladeshi nationals suspected of entering India illegally, along with an Indian man accused of sheltering them, were arrested in Nimta, North Dum Dum, on Monday.Police said the arrests followed a late-night raid in Fatullapur after officers from Nimta Police Station questioned a man behaving suspiciously in the Golbagan area.The nine accused, including alleged shelter provider Shahidul Islam, were produced before a Barrackpore court and remanded to seven days' police custody.Investigators said the Bangladeshis admitted during preliminary interrogation that they had entered India illegally after paying money and were staying at Islam's house in exchange for payment. Police seized Bangladeshi identity papers, forged Indian Aadhaar and PAN cards, debit cards, birth certificates and Covid vaccination certificates.Dyutiman Bhattacharya, DCP (south), Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, said, "The nine accused will be interrogated in police custody. Further investigation was underway."North Dum Dum MLA Sourav Sikdar alleged the constituency had become a corridor for Bangladeshi infiltrators because of its proximity to the airport. "Action will continue against illegal entrants with police cooperation," he added.