Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 25 November 2024
In a case that has highlighted security and illegal immigration concerns, a Bangladeshi national arrested in Sri Vijaya Puram for illegal entry into India, escaped from police custody early morning on 24th of November 2024, but was recaptured after a swift search operation. The woman, identified as Sobeda Begum alias Mitu Saha, had earlier admitted to illegally crossing into India multiple times.
Suspicious Arrival and Arrest:
The chain of events began on 20 November when a Police Constable posted at the airport, observed a woman arriving on a SpiceJet flight from Kolkata who appeared disoriented and suspicious. When questioned about her purpose for visiting the Andaman Islands, she failed to provide convincing answers.
The woman, claiming to be Mitu Saha from Gujarat, was taken to Aberdeen Police Station for further questioning. She presented an Aadhaar card and claimed her husband was a mason. However, discrepancies in her story and the forged nature of her Aadhaar card raised suspicions.
Interrogation Reveals Her True Identity and History:
During sustained interrogation at Police Station Crime and Economic Offence, Sobeda Begum revealed her true identity and a detailed history of her movements and activities. Born in Ratkandi village in Gopal Gunj district of Bangladesh, Sobeda admitted to entering India illegally multiple times over the years, with her first crossing occurring in 2010.
Sobeda explained that she had been married in Bangladesh in 2006 to Mohammad Nazurul Islam and had her first child in 2010. However, her marriage became strained, and she eventually sought an opportunity to leave. A man named Dev Kumar facilitated her first illegal entry into India in 2010. After entering India, Sobeda worked as a domestic helper in cities like Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
In 2014, she briefly returned to Bangladesh, where she gave birth to a daughter. Two years later, in 2016, she re-entered India illegally with her second child and settled again in Ahmedabad. While living there, she remarried a man named Lalaji Thakur, who worked as a mason. The couple lived together for several years.
Sobeda’s illegal movements across borders continued into 2024. Earlier this year, she traveled back to Bangladesh with her child and returned to India on 18 November 2024. However, this time, she used the services of a travel agent in Kolkata to book a flight ticket. Due to a booking error, she ended up traveling to the Andaman Islands instead of Ahmedabad, where she intended to go.
The interrogation also led to the discovery of a photograph of her Bangladeshi passport and a mobile phone containing a Banglalink SIM card. These items, combined with the forged Aadhaar card, provided clear evidence of her fraudulent activities and repeated illegal entries into India.
Escape and Recapture:
In the early hours of 24th November, Sobeda managed to escape from the PS C&EO, where she was being held under guard. CCTV footage revealed that she had jumped out of a window in the Station House Officer’s chamber and limped away, likely due to injuries sustained during the escape.
A search operation was launched immediately, and by 6:30 AM, officers found her hiding inside the dilapidated water tank of a house located behind the Forensic Science Laboratory building. Despite her attempt to avoid detection, she was apprehended and escorted to G.B. Pant Hospital for medical evaluation. Doctors confirmed she had sustained a fracture in her right ankle during the escape.
A new case has been registered against her for escaping police custody.