21 Bangladeshi nationals to be deported: Mumbai court

Barrackpore, Feb 2 (UNI) Maharashtra police today handed over 21 Bangladeshi nationals to the Border Security Force here for immediate deportation through Petrapol corridor in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas.

A police team from Maharashtra landed here with 21 Bangladeshis, all males, who were in Thane district jail since February, on way to Kalyani for handing them over to a BSF post for the deportation, Sub-Inspector Salunke, who was leading the police team, said.

The Bangladeshis, working there as daily labourers for building constructions in Thane areas, were taken into custody for illegal entry into India. The Thane Judicial Magistrate court had ordered for their deportation to Bangladesh in August.

The deportees, who belonged to different districts of Bangladesh including Satkshira, Jessore and Noral, said they had crossed the Indo-Bangladesh border with the help of touts sometimes in January last year and went to Mumbai to seek jobs.

But within a month, they were arrested from different places, a Kolaroa resident, Alamgir said adding he did not know from which side he crossed the border but followed the touts at night for coming to India. ''I have spent the last ten months in the jail,'' he said.

UNI