West Bengal has launched a major crackdown on suspected illegal infiltrators as new holding centres become operational in border districts like Malda and Murshidabad. The move comes amid growing national focus on illegal immigration and border security. Authorities confirmed that multiple suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including women and minors, have already been detained under the new system. The state government has directed all districts to establish holding centres for illegal foreigners and foreign-origin prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation. Amid the escalating debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced a high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar to study demographic changes caused by illegal immigration and other factors. Shah is also scheduled to visit West Bengal as the Centre intensifies its focus on border infiltration and national security concerns.

A major political churn is unfolding in West Bengal as the Bharatiya Janata Party appears all set to form its first government in the state, marking what leaders are calling a “historic mandate shift.” Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as the central figure of this transition, taking charge as the leader of the BJP legislature party and signalling a sharp political reset in the state’s power dynamics. In his first address after the leadership announcement, Adhikari declared an end to what he termed the “politics of fear” and outlined a roadmap focused on governance, development and stronger coordination with the Centre. The BJP leadership has projected this moment as the beginning of a new governance model in West Bengal built on trust and people-first administration. WATCH