Rohingya Trio Arrested in Kolkata for Illegal Entry, Destination was Kashmir: Human Trafficking Suspected

Kolkata, Jan 20: Three Rohingya Muslims, including two minor girls and a 31-year-old man, were arrested at Kolkata’s Sealdah railway station on Saturday for allegedly entering India illegally and attempting to travel to Kashmir.

The arrests have sparked concerns about a potential human trafficking network operating in the region. Authorities believe Bengal is being used as a transit corridor for trafficking minors to Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident came to light when a ticket examiner noticed the trio roaming suspiciously across multiple platforms late Friday night. Unable to produce valid tickets or identification, they were handed over to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and subsequently to the Government Railway Police (GRP) for further questioning.

The adult, identified as Abdul Rahman, confessed to entering India illegally from Bangladesh five to six years ago. Originally from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, he had been living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh before crossing into India. Rahman has reportedly been residing in Kashmir, working as a laborer.

The two minor girls, aged approximately 12, were allegedly being taken to Kashmir under the pretense of work. Officials suspect Rahman might be a middleman in a larger trafficking operation.

The minors have been sent to a shelter home for protection, while Rahman remains in police custody. Investigators are working to uncover more details about the network facilitating illegal crossings and trafficking.

This incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced border security and monitoring of transit hubs to curb human trafficking and illegal migration.