West Bengal opens migrant holding centers, 12 detained

The West Bengal government has begun establishing dedicated holding centers to detain individuals suspected of residing in the state without legal documentation, with the first facilities now operational in Malda and Murshidabad districts. Officials report that twelve people are currently housed across the two centers.

The initiative follows a directive issued by the state's Home and Hill Affairs Department to all district magistrates on May 23, instructing them to create infrastructure for "apprehended foreigners" and "released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation." Officials said the order aligns with guidelines issued by the central Ministry of Home Affairs regarding procedures for handling Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas found staying illegally in India.

In Malda district, a holding center at Chandan Park in English Bazar began functioning on May 24 and currently houses nine individuals, including three women and six minors, who were brought from the Pandua area. A senior police officer said the facility has a layered security cover, including CCTV surveillance and a deployment of police personnel. Separately, a center in Murshidabad district's Lalgola...