Suvendu Says Detained Migrants to Be Handed to BSF

Suvendu Adhikari.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said that Bangladeshi “infiltrators” detained in the state will now be directly handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) for deportation instead of being produced before courts.

Speaking to reporters after an administrative review meeting at the Howrah district magistrate’s office on May 21, he said the new arrangement came into effect from the previous day and instructions had already been issued to police and railway authorities.

“Since yesterday, the new rule has come into effect under which infiltrators will not be sent to courts but handed over to BSF outposts at the Bangladesh border,” he said.

According to him, undocumented migrants from Bangladesh who are not eligible for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will be transferred to BSF custody after detention.

He said police officials and the Railway Protection Force have been instructed that such individuals detained at locations like Howrah Station should not be sent to court.

Instead, they will be handed over to BSF personnel stationed at border points such as Petrapole in Bongaon and areas in North 24 Parganas.

He also said weekly reports on the number of detainees processed under the new system would be submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office.