14 Bangladeshi Infiltrators Detained in West Bengal Ahead of Elections

In a significant development, the Railway Protection Force apprehended 14 Bangladeshi infiltrators on a train bound for New Delhi in West Bengal. This incident has raised serious questions about illegal immigration and border security, especially with the upcoming Assembly elections. The detainees, including women and minors, were found with fake Indian identity documents. Political tensions are escalating, with accusations flying between parties regarding the handling of illegal immigration. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to understand the motives behind their entry into India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 2, 2026, 12:42 IST

Arrests Made on North-East Express

Photo: @ndtv/X

Kolkata, April 2: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) apprehended 14 individuals from Bangladesh on the North-East Express train bound for New Delhi, in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal.

The arrests occurred late Wednesday night at the Jalpaiguri Road Station. Among those detained, five are women and four are minors. Authorities confiscated various counterfeit Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, Indian mobile SIM cards, and Malaysian Ringgit.

With the state gearing up for a two-phase Assembly election later this month, concerns have arisen regarding the motives behind these infiltrators' entry into India through the international borders in Assam, as they were en route to the national capital via West Bengal. The RPF has initiated an investigation into the incident.

An officer involved in the investigation revealed that during initial questioning, the detainees confessed to crossing into India via the Assam border using forged documents, with plans to travel to New Delhi.

“We are currently trying to ascertain the reasons for their unlawful entry and their intended destination in Delhi,” the officer stated. However, there are growing concerns about how such a large group managed to infiltrate, especially given the heightened security at international borders due to the upcoming Assembly elections in both West Bengal and Assam.

The incident of 14 Bangladeshi nationals illegally entering India has sparked political controversy ahead of the elections, particularly in West Bengal, where illegal immigration is a significant electoral issue.

Political tensions have escalated in West Bengal over this matter, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the Trinamool Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led government of enabling these illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in the state to bolster their minority vote bank.

Conversely, the Trinamool Congress has argued that border security falls under the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF), which operates under the Union Home Ministry, thus absolving the state government of any responsibility regarding this illegal infiltration.