Afghan national arrested in West Bengal’s Nadia for illegal entry via Bangladesh

An Afghan national was arrested in West Bengal’s Nadia district for allegedly attempting to enter India from Bangladesh without valid travel documents, police and security officials said on Wednesday. The incident has raised questions about how the foreign national reached the India‑Bangladesh border and whether he had external assistance.

The man, identified as Aljahi Musafar , a resident of Nimroz province in Afghanistan , was intercepted by personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) during a routine night patrol near the Fatepur border late on Monday, a senior BSF officer said. “He was spotted moving suspiciously close to the international boundary. When our team challenged him, he could not produce any valid Indian entry documents or Bangladeshi identification papers,” the official added.

Musafar was detained on the spot and handed over to Hanskhali Police Station in Nadia for further investigation. A police officer confirmed the accused was unable to explain how he reached the border area or provide any paperwork relating to his entry into India. He told investigators that he had no passport, visa, or other travel permits. Authorities have now launched a deeper probe into his movements, including efforts to ascertain how he travelled to Bangladesh before attempting to cross into India , whether he was aided by others, and if any contact networks were involved.

The accused was produced before a court in Ranaghat on Tuesday , which remanded him to police custody to facilitate further questioning and investigation. Officials said they were also examining his mobile phone and any possible contacts or digital footprints to trace his route and intentions.

Security agencies at the border have increased vigilance amid a broader context of frequent cross‑border attempts, including infiltration, smuggling, and other illegal movements along the India‑Bangladesh frontier. The BSF routinely conducts patrols and interdictions in sensitive sectors to prevent unlawful entry and contraband trafficking.