Facebook romance leads to illegal cross-border entry: 3 Bangladeshi women held in Delhi

NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown on illegal immigration, the Foreigners Cell of North West District Police apprehended three Bangladeshi women residing illegally in the Mahendra Park area of Delhi. The operation was the result of sustained surveillance and precise technical analysis.

Acting on a credible input, officials tracked a Facebook reel posted by one of the suspects, which featured a local ice cream cart and inadvertently revealed nearby buildings. Using this clue, the police painstakingly searched nearly 50 lanes to locate the exact spot seen in the video. A trap was laid in the early hours of May 15, leading to the arrest of the prime suspect, who was posing as a transgender person and known locally as Deepa.

According to DCP North West Bhisham Singh, “She confessed to developing a romantic relationship via Facebook with an Indian man, who later facilitated her illegal entry into India through the West Bengal border. The duo then moved to Delhi and started living together in a rented accommodation.”

Based on further intelligence, two more Bangladeshi nationals were detained. Both women initially claimed to be Indian citizens living with their respective husbands. However, discrepancies in their statements and a thorough check of their belongings–including mobile phones–revealed the truth.

Officials recovered two smartphones containing the banned IMO application, allegedly used to stay in touch with their families in Bangladesh, and one keypad mobile phone.

During sustained interrogation, all three women admitted to having illegally crossed the border through the Hili and Benapur areas. They had travelled to Delhi by train and were living under false identities while in live-in relationships with Indian partners.

The suspects have been sent to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), RK Puram, for deportation proceedings. Further investigation is underway to trace individuals who may have harboured or assisted them in India. (ANI)