Kolkata: Mentally unstable person Belurghat, which was accidentally crossed Bangladesh Three years ago and was jailed there, after concerted efforts by social workers and district, state and central authorities, he was brought home on Tuesday.
Manik Debnath, now 33, was undergoing treatment for a mental disorder when he strayed into Bangladesh via the Ghasuria-Hili border on March 13, 2018. Since Debnath did not have travel documents, the BGB captured him and was booked for trespassing. Even a bottle of cough syrup allegedly found with him was not working in his favor.
“We suspected that he had gone to Bangladesh a few days after he went missing. Later, we came to know that he was arrested by Bangladesh Police and jailed. We were told at first that he would be in prison for a year, but then, the months of his service kept increasing. Had I not got help from social workers, local MP and government officials, I would never have been able to see my son again,” said father Binod Debnath.
The family had contacted Balurghat MP Sukant Majumdar and social activist Sadikul Islam last year and the foreign ministry and the British High Commission in Dhaka were informed. “After a year’s effort, Debnath was finally freed by the Bangladesh government and brought back to India,” Majumdar said.
Dakshin Dinajpur SP Rahul Dey said he received Debnath from Seema at around 11 am on Tuesday and handed him over to his family after completing the formalities, including checking the Covid test results.
Manik Debnath, now 33, was undergoing treatment for a mental disorder when he strayed into Bangladesh via the Ghasuria-Hili border on March 13, 2018. Since Debnath did not have travel documents, the BGB captured him and was booked for trespassing. Even a bottle of cough syrup allegedly found with him was not working in his favor.
“We suspected that he had gone to Bangladesh a few days after he went missing. Later, we came to know that he was arrested by Bangladesh Police and jailed. We were told at first that he would be in prison for a year, but then, the months of his service kept increasing. Had I not got help from social workers, local MP and government officials, I would never have been able to see my son again,” said father Binod Debnath.
The family had contacted Balurghat MP Sukant Majumdar and social activist Sadikul Islam last year and the foreign ministry and the British High Commission in Dhaka were informed. “After a year’s effort, Debnath was finally freed by the Bangladesh government and brought back to India,” Majumdar said.
Dakshin Dinajpur SP Rahul Dey said he received Debnath from Seema at around 11 am on Tuesday and handed him over to his family after completing the formalities, including checking the Covid test results.
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