West Bengal shockingly reported the highest number of crimes committed by foreigners in 2023. Additionally, the state led the country in cases registered under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, according to the ‘Crime in India 2023’ report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) last month.
These significant laws govern the presence, entry, and exit of foreign nationals in India, as well as their registration, regulated activities, and movement within the country. They also establish the legal framework for powers conferred upon the Indian government in these matters.
In 2023, West Bengal alone accounted for 1,021 criminal cases involving foreigners, with a staggering 989 of these registered under the aforementioned two acts. These figures far surpass those of any other State or Union Territory.
Beyond these primary statutes, the report highlighted other concerning offenses. Seven cases of crimes by foreign nationals in West Bengal in 2023 were recorded under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and two under The Arms Act, 1959. Other crimes committed by foreigners included instances of cheating, causing grievous hurt, and human trafficking.
A review of NCRB’s crime records over several years reveals a consistent pattern: West Bengal has continuously held the top spot for criminal cases involving foreigners. In 2022, the state registered 723 such cases, following 1,287 in 2021 and 635 in 2020. This trend has been unbroken since 2014, with West Bengal consistently reporting at least 500 cases annually under the Foreigners Act, 1946, making its figures the highest nationwide each year.
Retired Indian Police Service officer Nazrul Islam commented on these trends, stating, “West Bengal shares one of the longest international borders in the country with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. This significantly increases the likelihood of individuals from other countries, including trespassers, entering India through West Bengal, especially since other bordering states often have more challenging climatic conditions or unbreachable geographical barriers.” He further elaborated that even in general criminal investigations, if an accused is identified as a foreign national, the Foreigners Act, 1939, is typically applied in addition to other charges.
BJP’s Political Strategy
This data carries immense political weight, particularly in West Bengal. The Opposition has seized upon the high crime rates by foreign nationals to allege widespread ‘infiltration’ by Bangladeshi citizens, framing this as a key issue for the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Assembly election.
Ahead of a planned Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s voters’ lists, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has repeatedly claimed that border districts adjacent to Bangladesh have experienced drastic demographic shifts due to ‘illegal foreigners’. He has also accused the Mamata Banerjee government of failing to provide sufficient land to the Home Ministry for essential border fencing projects.
Both Adhikari and his party have voiced strong support for an SIR in West Bengal, similar to one conducted in Bihar, based on allegations that foreign nationals from Bangladesh and Myanmar have unlawfully made their way onto West Bengal’s electoral rolls.
West Bengal’s Border Fencing Challenges
The controversy surrounding West Bengal’s border fencing intensified earlier this year when thousands of migrant workers from the state were detained in various parts of India on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals.
Currently, approximately 229 kilometers of the West Bengal-Bangladesh border are in various stages of fencing and land acquisition. The Home Ministry informed the Lok Sabha in August that the West Bengal government has transferred control of 77 kilometers of the state’s border with Bangladesh to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing and other infrastructure initiatives.
In response to a Rajya Sabha question, the Home Ministry also stated that the total length of the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal spans 2,216.7 kilometers. Of this, 1,647.696 kilometers have already been fenced. The remaining 569.004 kilometers needing fencing include 112.780 kilometers deemed non-feasible and 456.224 kilometers considered feasible for such projects.
Former police officer Mr. Islam remarked, “While the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal are likely discussing border fencing, my understanding is that even with newly installed fences, the trespassing of foreigners, though it might decrease, will not halt entirely.”