Police on Friday arrested a Tarn Taran-based man for allegedly helping 11 Bangladeshis, including women and children, to scale the high-security boundary wall of the integrated checkpost (ICP), Attari.
The ICP facilitates the movement of passengers from India to Pakistan and vice-versa. According to police, the Bangladeshis wanted to illegally cross over to Pakistan.
The arrested man, identified as Ranjit Singh of Chabhal village in Tarn Taran, had been working as a labourer at the Attari border, police said.
Police have registered a case under various sections of the Foreign Act, the Passport Act, the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Ranjit and the Bangladeshis at Gharibda police station.
The Bangladeshis, who were arrested during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, were identified as Mohammad Sanoor Ali, Allahudin, Khaled Hussain, Mimar Miya, Ismail Hussain, Rajna Begum, Mainah Begum, Nazmin, Tamim, Jomir Ali and Faim.
Police have also identified two West Bengal-based travel agents Asadul Mondal and Babu who are accused of helping Bangladeshis reach Attari and nominated them in the case.
A senior police officer, who is privy to the investigation on the condition of anonymity, said, “The Bangladeshi people had come to Attari and wanted to cross the border illegally. They had seen the daily retreat ceremony at the border. They had been staying in Attari for around two days when they met with Ranjit.”
{{/usCountry}}A senior police officer, who is privy to the investigation on the condition of anonymity, said, “The Bangladeshi people had come to Attari and wanted to cross the border illegally. They had seen the daily retreat ceremony at the border. They had been staying in Attari for around two days when they met with Ranjit.”
{{/usCountry}}“Ranjit misguided the Bangladeshis and told them that once they scale the boundary wall, they will be in Pakistan. Ranjit had taken ₹25,000 from the Bangladeshis,” he said.
The official further said one of the Bangladeshis had told them that after crossing to Pakistan, it was their plan to go to Iran.
As per the FIR, the Bangladeshis had illegally entered the ICP taking advantage of the darkness and fully grown paddy crops. “They had jumped inside the ICP premises after cutting the barbed wire atop the boundary wall,” reads the FIR.
The above-quoted official said their preliminary investigation has found that Ranjit had cut the barbed wire.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Attari, Gurinderpal Singh said the arrested women have been sent to the judicial remand while their questioning of the male members is still on. He said, “The children will be sent to the juvenile centre.”