A Bangladeshi national working as a temporary employee at the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Ezhimala, Kannur, has been arrested by Kerala Police, bringing the number of Bangladeshi nationals detained in the district over the past four days to six. The arrest has drawn attention because the man had reportedly been working at the naval facility for around a year.
Bangladeshi National Held at Ezhimala Naval Academy
The arrested man has been identified by police as Viplav Soren, 32. According to Kannur District Rural Police Chief Umesh Goyal, Soren had been employed as a temporary worker at the Indian Naval Academy for approximately one year.
Payyannur Police Sub-Inspector Shuhaib arrested him from the academy following directions from Payyannur Circle Inspector Mahesh K Nair. Police are now conducting further inquiries to establish his identity and determine the circumstances under which he obtained employment at the facility.
Police have also cautioned that the name Viplav Soren has not yet been conclusively verified. Umesh Goyal said investigators would take the accused into custody and examine the available information before establishing his identity.
Questions Over Identity and Employment
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the precise nature of the work performed by the accused at the naval academy. They have also not stated whether his presence at the facility represented a security threat.
A separate report by UNI said the man allegedly worked in the laundry section of the academy and was carrying an Aadhaar card bearing the name Biplab Soren. The report also said he allegedly possessed a police clearance certificate purportedly issued in the name of Murshidabad Police in West Bengal. These details are part of the ongoing investigation and have not been independently established by all sources.
According to the same report, naval officials reportedly became suspicious of his activities and questioned him. Documents allegedly found on his mobile phone were said to indicate Bangladeshi citizenship, following which he was handed over to the Payyannur Police.
Arrest Follows Five Earlier Detentions
The latest arrest follows the detention of five Bangladeshi women in Kannur during the preceding four days. Police had alleged that the women were residing and working in India without valid documentation.
Four women were arrested after police raided a rented property in Odenparambu following information about suspected illegal migrants. Officials said the search resulted in the recovery of Bangladeshi identity documents as well as allegedly forged Indian identity papers.
Police said the women had been working at a spa in Kannur for several months. During questioning, they allegedly told investigators that they had obtained the Indian documents in Assam before travelling to Kerala for employment.
The four women were identified as Nazma Akter, Taslima Khatun, Moyna Khatun and Nasri Bheebi, according to the India Today report. They were subsequently booked under provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act and remanded in judicial custody.
Investigation Into Documents Underway
The sequence of arrests has prompted increased police scrutiny of the documentation used by foreign nationals working or residing in the district.
The case involving the naval academy employee is now expected to focus on several questions, including how his identity was established, what documents were used to secure employment and whether those documents were genuine. Police are also examining the circumstances surrounding his reported employment at the academy.
At present, authorities have not publicly concluded that the incident involved any deliberate security compromise. Police have specifically said that the investigation into the man’s identity and background is continuing.
Kannur Police Expand Verification Efforts
The arrests have also triggered calls for closer verification of foreign nationals working in Kerala without valid documentation. Onmanorama reported that a complaint had been forwarded to the State Police Chief seeking special inspections across districts to identify foreign nationals, particularly those allegedly working or staying without proper permits.
The Kannur case therefore involves two parallel investigations: determining the legal status and identity of the individuals detained, and examining how allegedly forged or invalid documents may have been used to obtain employment or residence.
For the naval academy case, investigators are expected to establish the accused’s actual identity, nationality, documentation and employment history before determining further legal action.
The arrest of the temporary employee marks the sixth detention of a Bangladeshi national in Kannur within four days, according to reports, while police continue their investigation into the documents and circumstances surrounding the cases.
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