Bangla woman living as Hindu for 15 years arrested

Bengaluru: The Byadarahalli police have arrested a Bangladeshi woman identified as Ronnie Begum, who has been living illegally in the country for the last 15 years.

She assumed a Hindu name, Payal Ghosh and married Nitin Kumar, a delivery executive from Mangalore. She lived in Mumbai, Bangalore and Mangalore. She even obtained Aadhaar card, voter ID and other documents. The police are looking for Nitin Kumar.

Sources said that she married him in Bangalore as per Hindu traditions.

After the wedding, Ronnie started working at a garment factory. She also frequently visited Bangladesh. She was checked by immigration officials at the Kolkata airport on her way to Bangladesh last year. Ronnie escaped, arguing that she was a Hindu woman. However, officials kept copies of the documents in their possession.

Officers who were suspicious of Ronnie had obtained information from the Regional Registration Office of Foreigners in Bangalore and the police department. Ronnie was a Bangla citizen. Later, an FIR was filed against Roni at Byadarahalli police station last year.

After the case was filed, Ronnie went into hiding. She roamed around Mangalore, Mumbai and other cities. A special team was formed to arrest her.