Silchar, India: The BSF (Border Security Force) caught a man from Bangladesh, who claims that he has been infected with the coronavirus, after reaching to the Karimganj Town.
The man said he swam to India so he could get treatment for the virus.
28-year-old Abdul Haque, who is originally from the Sunamganj District of Bangladesh, reached Karimganj at around 7:30 am on Sunday.
Fishermen in the area informed the police about the man after they spotted him at the Bisarjan ghat in Ka rimganj.
After arresting the man, the BSF informed the BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) about the incident, who came to India in 2 motorboats and took Haque back to Bangladesh.
The BGB said that the man was handed over to his family afterward.
JC Nayak, the DIG (Deputy Inspector General), Silchar, said:
The Bangladesh national swam across the Kushiyara, which divides India and Bangladesh and reached Bisharjan ghat near Karimganj town around 7.30 am on Sunday. Some Indian fisherman saw him and stopped him there, and informed the BSF personnel.
Nayak said that the incident occurred under the jurisdictions of the Mubarkapur border out post, which does not have any fenced international border.
BSF DIG added:
The man told us that he was unwell and came to Karimganj for treatment. As it’s a Covid-19 situation, therefore we talked to him from a distance. Although he was claiming that he was suffering from Covid-19, we were not sure. However, without taking any risk, the BSF got in touch with BGB and informed them about the incident. Later, BGB officials arrived with two motor boats and took the man back to their country.
His claims of the man triggered panic among locals, especially after he claimed he had been confirmed to have the novel coronavirus.
The Border Security Force has intensified their patrolling in the border areas to make sure no similar incidents happen in the future.