Iraqi citizen arrested at Raxaul border while illegally entering India from Nepal

An Iraqi national was arrested late Saturday evening at the Maitri Bridge near the Indo-Nepal border in Raxaul while attempting to enter Indian territory from Nepal without valid travel documents. The arrested individual was identified as 47-year-old Bara Fauzi Hamid Al Bayati, a resident of Al Dora, Baghdad. The arrest was made by the Haraiya police station during routine checks at the customs check post area in Raxaul.

According to East Champaran SP Swarn Prabhat, Bayati was apprehended while crossing into Raxaul from Nepal’s Birgunj. “He has been arrested for trying to enter Indian territory at Raxaul without any valid documents,” the SP said. Preliminary investigation revealed that Bayati did not possess a visa to enter India. The police stated that he showed no resistance during the arrest and was travelling alone.

SHO of Haraiya police station, Kishan Kumar Paswan, said Bayati had been staying in and around New Delhi since June 16 after illegally entering India through Nepal. During interrogation, the Iraqi national claimed to be a mechanical engineer working in Saudi Arabia. He also stated that he had visited India twice before with valid visas, and this was his third visit, for which he entered illegally.

Following his arrest, Bayati was produced in a local court on Sunday and was sent to Motihari Central Jail. Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials have also interrogated him. Central agencies including Military Intelligence (MI) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) have been informed and are involved in the ongoing investigation to verify his claims and movements in India.

This arrest marks the seventh such case in Raxaul town in recent months involving foreign nationals illegally attempting to enter India. Since April 24, nine individuals from countries including China, the United States, Canada, South Korea, and Iraq have been detained for illegal border crossings. According to police, these individuals did not disclose the purpose of their visit and lacked valid documents during questioning.