Bengali hawkers labelled Bangladeshis, detained by UP cops

Around 18 migrant hawkers, residents of Murshidabad district of West Bengal, have been allegedly detained at Nagar police station in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district after being labelled as Bangladeshis.

Parijayee Sharmik Aikya Manch (Migrant Labourer Unity Forum) general secretary Asif Faruk told ET that these migrants from Murshidabad have allegedly been detained for the last five days.

"We have written a letter to the Murshidabad district magistrate and joint labour commissioner of the district and sought help so that they can be released," Faruk said. Local MLA Humayun Kabir has also been informed.


Faruk said the migrants have proper EPIC and Aadhaar cards, despite which they have been detained. These migrants were selling plastic items and involved in hair-trade in UP. "Arizul Sekh (25) and his elder brother Sukurulla (50) are residents of Shaktipur police station area. Arizul's wife, two daughters and parents and two other brothers are in Murshidabad. We have informed the local MLA and the district magistrate has also intervened," Anisur Rahman, Arizul's brother, in Murshidabad village told ET.

HAVE Aadhaar, voter cards
"Initially 4-5 migrants were detained by the UP Police. The houseowner, where all the 18 labourers stayed, told the other migrant workers to go to the police station with their Aadhaar and voter ID cards for verification. They went to the police station and were detained as Bangladeshis," Rahman said.

An email has been sent from Murshidabad's Saktipur police station to Nagar police station, verifying the identity of the migrants, people in the know said. But they haven't been released.