A total of nine Bangladeshi nationals, including three minors, were apprehended by the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday while they were attempting to cross the international border via a boat in West Bengal's Nadia.

BSF however handed them over to the Bangladesh authorities as a goodwill gesture.

In a statement posted by the BSF, it was stated that the jawans posted at the border outpost Kumari received specific input from the force's intelligence branch regarding illegal migration from Bangladesh. Around 3 am, the vigilant troops observed suspicious movement and found nine Bangladeshi nationals trying to cross into the Indian territory.

Upon questioning the Bangladeshi nationals, they identified themselves as  Taniya Khatoon (25), Moni Rani Nath (28), Rashi Nani Nath (8), Nilu Haldar (20), Purnima Sarkar (16), Anjali Rani Nath (50), Ruma Gazi (27), Md Bilal (8) and Paritosh Rai (25).

According to the BSF, the Bangladeshi nationals were entering India with the help of a Indian named Ravi who is from West Bengal.

Additionally, three mobile phones and 1,430 Bangladeshi Taka were recovered from them.