Several Bihar undertrials at Raiganj Correctional Home reluctant to seek bail

Raiganj: A significant number of undertrial prisoners from Bihar, currently housed in the Raiganj District Correctional Home of North Dinajpur district after having committed crimes in Bengal, are expressing reluctance to pursue bail due to apprehensions of being apprehended by rival gangs or encountered by Bihar police upon release. These individuals, implicated in serious offenses such as robbery, murder and ATM break-ins in Bengal, are also wanted by law enforcement authorities in Bihar.

The correctional home officials report that over 60 undertrials from Bihar are detained in Raiganj. Many of these detainees fear that returning to Bihar could lead to immediate arrest or potential fatal encounters, especially since rewards have been announced for their capture in their home state. A relative of one such detainee, Mohammad Younus, stated: “My relative was arrested by Raiganj police for involvement in a crime in Bengal. He is wanted by Bihar police too. If he is released from Raiganj Correctional Home, he may be encountered by Bihar police but he is staying safe in Raiganj Correctional Home so we do not want his bail immediately. This has been conveyed to the lawyer.”

The geographical proximity of police station areas like Itahar, Raiganj, Karanidighi and Dalkhola to the Bihar border has historically facilitated cross-border criminal activities. Miscreants from Bihar often infiltrate Bengal villages to commit

crimes and then retreat back across the border.

Sashanka Sekhar Mandal, the Assistant Superintendent of Raiganj Correctional Home, commented: “There are more than 60 miscreants from Bihar staying in our correctional home. Some of them are notorious criminals. After securing bail, would have to be handed over to Bihar police as they are wanted there. They do not want to go to Bihar immediately, so they are not moving for their bail.”