A Bangladeshi national working as a temporary employee at the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala has been arrested, becoming the sixth Bangladeshi national held in Kannur in four days.
Kannur: A Bangladeshi national who had reportedly been working as a temporary employee at the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kannur, has been arrested, taking the number of Bangladeshi nationals arrested in the district in four days to six.
Kannur Police arrested the 32-year-old man, identified by police as Viplav Soren, from the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala near Payyannur. Police said he had been working at the academy as a temporary employee for about a year. District Rural Police Chief Umesh Goyal said investigators were yet to establish whether Viplav Soren was his real name.
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Reports from local media said the man was working in the laundry section of the academy. Investigators reportedly found a fake Aadhaar card bearing the name Biplab Soren and a police clearance certificate purportedly issued by the Murshidabad police in West Bengal. Documents indicating Bangladeshi citizenship were reportedly found on his phone after naval officials questioned him.
The man was subsequently handed over to the Payyannur Police. Police have not publicly disclosed the full details of his employment or how he secured the temporary position at the academy. They have also not officially stated that he had access to sensitive naval information or that his presence resulted in a specific security incident.
Sixth arrest in four days
The arrest follows the detention of five Bangladeshi women in Kannur in separate cases over the preceding days. Four women were arrested after police raided a rented property in the district following information about foreign nationals allegedly staying without valid documents. Police said they had been working at spas in Kannur.
Police alleged that the women were carrying Bangladeshi identity documents as well as forged Indian documents. Investigators further alleged that some of the documents had been obtained in Assam before the women travelled to Kerala for employment. The cases were registered under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, according to reports.
The latest arrest has therefore brought the total number of Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Kannur in the four-day period to six.
What happens next
The immediate investigation is expected to focus on establishing the man's identity, citizenship and the documents used to obtain employment. Police will also investigate how the documents were obtained and whether anyone assisted in their preparation or use.
The circumstances of his recruitment at the Indian Naval Academy are another part of the investigation. At present, publicly available reports do not establish that the arrested man had access to classified facilities or information, and such a conclusion would require evidence from the ongoing investigation.
The arrests have brought renewed attention to the verification of identity and immigration documents used by foreign nationals working in Kerala. The cases also raise questions about how forged identity documents are obtained and used to secure employment or accommodation.
The developments in Kannur remain primarily police investigations at this stage. Allegations regarding forged documents, illegal stay or the circumstances of employment will have to be established through the relevant legal process.
Published: 19 Sept 2026, 02:12 pm IST
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