Security agencies in India’s eastern state of West Bengal have taken action in an alleged espionage case, with the state’s Special Task Force (STF) arresting a युवक from the Berhampore area of Murshidabad district on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistan.
Murshidabad: The West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday, 22 February, arrested a युवक from Berhampore (Murshidabad) on allegations of spying for Pakistan. Preliminary investigation has indicated alleged links to the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
According to police sources, the arrested युवक is suspected of having connections with the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The investigation is ongoing, and security agencies are examining digital and other evidence. No detailed official statement has been issued, but sources said the arrest was made on the basis of suspicious activities. Investigating agencies are also examining whether the case is linked to a larger network.
Following the arrest, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal unit criticised the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. West Bengal BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharya questioned the state’s law and order and security mechanisms and called for a thorough investigation into the matter. He said this was not the first instance in which individuals allegedly linked to suspicious militant or espionage activities had been apprehended from the state.
Bhattacharya alleged that demographic changes in border districts were becoming a matter of concern for national security and said the state government should adopt a more vigilant approach to internal security. Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also alleged that West Bengal was becoming a safe haven for terrorists. He claimed that in the past, agencies from various states had arrested suspects from West Bengal.
Separately, the Special Cell of Delhi Police recently claimed to have busted an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked module in a separate operation. Eight suspects were arrested in an operation that lasted around 10 days, of whom seven were said to be Bangladeshi nationals. The action was carried out in parts of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
According to police, the arrested suspects were working in various industrial units using forged identity documents. Mobile phones and multiple SIM cards were recovered from them. Investigating agencies are also examining the network’s possible international connections.
West Bengal, which shares an international border with Bangladesh, has long been considered a sensitive area for security agencies. Issues such as border management, illegal infiltration and smuggling have periodically been subjects of political debate. In matters related to security, the findings of investigative agencies and the judicial process ultimately determine the strength of the allegations.
