Kolkata police have stepped up surveillance after a car bomb that killed 12 people exploded in Delhi on Monday. The city’s law‑enforcement officials say they are hunting for foreigners from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who overstayed their visas and are hiding in the city or its outskirts.
A police desk told reporters on Thursday that teams are now checking whether any residents of those three countries are living secretly in Kolkata or in distant districts. The focus comes after intelligence officers worried that some of these foreigners could be linked to militant groups.
The police have also reopened investigations into old sleeper cells linked to various terrorist organisations. Every station has been ordered to monitor residents who entered India on valid Bangladeshi or Afghan passports but failed to leave once their visas expired. The immigration department has joined the effort to trace and prove their status.
Reports indicate that many of these people have used brokers to forge Indian identity cards, presenting themselves as citizens to employers and avoiding detection. “Some Bangladeshis hiding in this way have already been caught by Kolkata and state police,” a police source said. “I’ve just arrested three Afghans in south Kolkata who were living here with fake ID cards,” the source added. Detectives did not rule out the possibility of Pakistani nationals hidden in the city or other districts.
Police officials warned that a handful of the foreign nationals could be linked to extremist groups. After compiling a list of suspects, investigators are locating their hideouts, noting it is a “big concern” for the city’s security.
In the years since the Delhi blast, several militants have been caught by intelligence agencies in the Kolkata region. The authorities are checking whether older sleeper cells might be re‑activating. They are also keeping tabs on former members of militant groups who were released on bail after conviction.
The Delhi bomb, which shattered a commuter train and claimed 12 lives, has prompted this heightened vigilance across the country. Kolkata police say this crackdown on visa‑expired foreigners and potential militants is part of a broader national security strategy.
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