Police tight-lipped on Bangladeshi arrest ahead of Obama visit

PANAJI - The Goa Police arrested a 25-year-old Bangladeshi national, found in a restricted naval area, a few days ahead of US President Barak Obama’s visit to India — particularly Mumbai. Police officials are, however, tight-lipped about the arrest.

Police source told IANS that Rehman Naushir, a resident of Bangladesh, was nabbed by Indian Navy officials Oct 31 at a defence area near Bogda in Vasco town, about 35 km from here, which is flanked by two naval bases.

A formal FIR was registered by Indian Navy commander Saurav Mukherjee at the Harbour police station Nov 1, the source said.

Rehman has been booked under Section 447 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), dealing with criminal trespass and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act.

The police source said the Goa Police anti-terror squad (ATS), CID officials and home ministry officials have already interrogated the Bangladeshi national who has no legitimate travel documents and is presently in confinement at the Sada sub-jail.

Senior police officials were tight-lipped on the issue of Rehman’s arrest, which comes a day after security agencies launched Operation Sagar Kavach, a two-day security drill to check the preparedness of the security agencies in countering sea borne terror, in wake of the US president’s visit to Mumbai.

No senior police official in Goa was willing to comment on record on Rehman’s arrest. A top police official, however, said that Rehman’s antecedents in Bangladesh were still being verified.