New Zealander held with forged Indian docs at strategic border area

Two foreigners were held at the India-Nepal border in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Sunday for allegedly entering the country illegally, officials said.

New Zealand national Andrew James was held by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel at Panitanki. An Indian driving licence, PAN card and Aadhaar card were found with him, they said.

He was trying to enter the country from Nepal with these documents, which were forged, officials said.

After interrogating him, a Bangladeshi national was nabbed from the border area, they said.

He was indentified as Mohammed Nurul Islam, they added.

Both the foreigners were later handed to officers of the Kharibari police station.

The India-Bangladesh border is barely 40 km from the India-Nepal border in this highly-strategic area, which is often referred to as the 'chicken's neck' for the shape of the Indian landmass, connecting the Northeast to the rest of the country.

Officials said they are investigating why the New Zealander was entering India with forged documents, and what links he has with the Bangladeshi man.