13 hawkers detained in Mumbai are natives of Sahibganj: Village leaders

Dumka: Days after BJP leader Kirit Somaya posted on social media that Mumbai Police have detained 13 illegal Bangladeshi nationals with "fake Aadhaar cards" from the Vikhroli market, local panchayat leaders from Sahibganj district of Jharkhand have said all detained persons were from their villages and genuine Indians.
Police sources from the district also said those detained who were working as hawkers were residents of Sahibganj. A district administration officer confirmed the statement of the rural representatives but said it would not have any formal significance now.
The panchayat leaders' came in reaction to news reports in the media even though Mumbai Police were yet to make any formal communication to the Sahibaganj or Jharkhand authorities regarding the detention of the 13 persons. Kirit Somaya said the Aadhaar cards of the 13 showed signs of fabrication even though their address indicated that they were from different police station areas in Sahibganj.
According to the mukhiya of the Dakshin Palasi panchayat under the Radhanagar police station limits of Sahibganj district, nine of those detained are genuine residents of her panchayat and the remaining four are from neighbouring panchayat areas.
"Nine out of the total 13 hawkers detained by the Mumbai police belong to different villages falling under Dakchhin Palasi panchayat of Udhwa block of Sahibganj district or for that matter, they are genuine Indians," the Dakshin Palasi panchayat mukhiya Nafisa Khatun said, demanding that they must not be harassed by Maharashtra govt and Mumbai police on the pretext of being Bangladeshi nationals.
The local anganwadi sevika-cum-booth level officer (BLO) Rabina Devi has supported the mukhiya's statement. Nafisa and Rabina have jointly approached the BDO of Udhwa block, Jayant Kumar Tiwari, and the Radhanagar police station, with a declaration about the nativity of the nine detainees.
They identified the nine detainees of the panchayat as Aidul Sheikh, Naeem Sheikh, Semam Sheikh, Jahangir Sheikh, Samaun Sheikh, Ramjan Ali, Rafikul Sheikh and Arif Sheikh.
"All nine of them belong to my jurisdiction whose polling booth number is 349," the BLO said.
Their move assumed significance in the backdrop of the national outcry, particularly being made by BJP leaders, following the detention by Mumbai Police of nearly 100 street vendors, including the 13.
Speaking to the TOI, the BDO of Udhwa block Jayant Kumar Tiwari confirmed that the mukhiya and the BLO have made their claims but stressed that the matter would not have any formal significance now.
"The exercise for identifying the alleged illegal immigrants is already on after a court order," the BDO added.