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Maharashtra Police and BSF “deported” Mehbub Sheikh, 36, to Bangladesh as a suspected illegal migrant, despite valid documents and intervention from Bengal authorities.
The BSF pushed the man across the border, suspecting him to be an illegal Bangladesh migrant.(Image for representational purposes only)
Amid crackdown on illegal migrants, the Maharashtra Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly sent a 36-year-old man from West Bengal to Bangladesh in the wee hours of Saturday.
The man who had gone to Maharashtra for work purpose was picked up by the Maharashtra Police who alerted the BSF which then pushed the man across the border, suspecting him to be an illegal Bangladeshi migrant.
It is learnt that he was sent across border despite intervention by Bengal government, state Migrant Welfare Board and furnishing valid documents. The man has been identified as Mehbub Sheikh, a mason by profession.
According to a report by The Indian Express, after authorities initiated talks to “deport’ him, Sheikh family approached the West Bengal Migrant Welfare Board who then contacted the Maharashtra police and furnished all required documents. However, Sheikh was still sent to Bangladesh.
Sheikh’s family is said to be residents of Hossainnagar village in Mahisasthali gram panchayat area of Bhagabangola in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
The mason, who was working in Maharashtra for the last two years, stayed in the Mira Road area of Thane near Mumbai. He was reportedly picked up by police on June 11 while he was having tea and taken him to Kanakia police station.
It is learnt that his family was informed about this who then produced Sheikh’s voter card, Aadhaar Card, ration card, and even his family tree, running generations certified by the panchayat.
Shabbir Ahmed, pradhan of Mahisasthali gram panchayat, said that they rushed to Siliguri after coming to know that Mehbub Sheikh had been sent to a BSF camp there.
The report citing Sheikh’s family mentioned that he called them on Saturday (June 14), informing them that BSF pushed him into Bangladesh at 3.30 am.
Sheikh is survived by a wife and three children. His family is demanding his safe return.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police have defended their action, saying the mason “failed” to furnish documents, including his birth certificate, to prove his nationality, adding that they don’t consider Aadhaar and PAN cards for proving citizenship as they can be fraudulently obtained.
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18…Read More
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18… Read More
- Location :
Thane, India, India
- First Published:
