‘Will I Have To Prove My Identity Every Time?’ Bongaon Voter Detained In Haryana Alleges Harassment

Last Updated:July 24, 2025, 14:44 IST

Najmul said he was detained despite providing all original identification documents and is now uncertain about his future in the state

Najmul came to Haryana from West Bengal for work. (News18)

For Najmul, a registered voter from West Bengal’s Bongaon, life in Haryana was peaceful. He had moved to the state four months ago for a housekeeping job and also brought his parents with him. However, on July 19, Najmul’s calm life took a turn for the worse, leaving the family traumatised.

According to Najmul, police arrived at his residence in Haryana last week and asked him to show his identity documents. “I showed them all my IDs," he told News18. However, he was asked to accompany the cops for further verification.

“They made us sit under a tree. Then the police asked me, ‘When did you come from Bangladesh?’ I was shocked. I am a bonafide Indian citizen. Why were they accusing me like this?" Najmul asked.

He added that he was not the only one detained. “There were others from Murshidabad and Malda who were also brought there," he said.

Najmul claimed his father came to meet him that night with original copies of all their documents, but was not allowed to hand them over. He also alleged that he was not given any food until the next morning.

Distressed, Najmul’s family sought help from Bongaon police, who coordinated with Haryana Police. Speaking to News18, Bongaon SP Dinesh Kumar said, “We received information on July 21. The family approached us, and we immediately conducted a local enquiry and sent all supporting documents to the Haryana police officials concerned. On July 22, I requested the Zonal DCP Headquarters of the area, and after that, he was released."

Najmul’s biggest worry now is the uncertainty that looms over his future. “We come to Haryana for work. This time they picked me up and kept me for five days. If they pick me up again, will I have to prove myself every time? How many times will we face this harassment?" he asked.

On Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had condemned the BJP after the Gurugram administration in Haryana detained 52 Bengali-speaking migrant workers on suspicion that they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and sought background verification reports from the Bengal government.

Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said: “It is our duty to protect citizens. If the BJP thinks this is how it can delete the names of voters and win elections, as it did in Delhi and Maharashtra, then it is making a big mistake."

The chief minister is slated to begin a year-long “Bhasha Andolan" from July 27 to protest against the detention of Bengali-speaking individuals in BJP-ruled states.

Kamalika Sengupta

Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 / News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and women’s issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting from East...Read More

Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 / News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and women’s issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting from East...

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