SILCHAR: BSF personnel caught a Bangladeshi national, who claimed that he was suffering from Covid-19, after he swam across the Kushiyara to reach the Indian side of the border in Karimganj town on Sunday.

A senior BSF official said Abdul Haque (28), who hails from Sunamganj district of Bangladesh, reached Karimganj town after around 7.30 am on Sunday. Some Indian fishermen alerted the BSF personnel after they spotted Haque at Bisarjan ghat in Ka rimganj and informed the BSF personnel.

After receiving the information from the fishermen, the BSF officials informed the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) about the incident. BGB officials then arrived in two motor boats and took Haque back to Bangladesh. BGB sources said the man was later handed over to his family.

JC Nayak, deputy inspector general, Silchar, said, “The Bangaldeshi national swam across the Kushiyara, which divides India and Bangladesh and reached Bisharjan ghat near Karimganj town around 7.30 am on Sunday. Some Indian fisherman saw him and stopped him there, and informed the BSF personnel.”

Nayak said the incident occurred at a place under Mubarakpur border out post, which does not have a fenced international border.

“The man told us that he was unwell and came to Karimganj for treatment. As it’s a Covid-19 situation, therefore we talked to him from a distance. Although he was claiming that he was suffering from Covid-19, we were not sure. However, without taking any risk, the BSF got in touch with BGB and informed them about the incident. Later, BGB officials arrived with two motor boats and took the man back to their country,” the BSF DIG told TOI.

Sources said the incident triggered panic among people since the man claimed he was suffering from coronavirus. Nayak said BSF has intensified patrolling in the border areas following the incident to ensure no one enters India from Bangladesh.