Pakistani woman Louis Nighat Akhtar Bhano, escaped from Nepal jail, arrested in Tripura while attempting to cross into Bangladesh. Central and state intelligence agencies conduct joint interrogation to uncover her networks, intentions, and links to drug trafficking or espionage.
Agencies of both the central and state governments are intensifying their investigation of a 50-year-old Pakistani woman arrested in southern Tripura, officials confirmed on Monday.
According to senior police sources, central intelligence officials, alongside Tripura police officers, are conducting a joint interrogation of the woman, who is a resident of Sheikhupura district in Pakistan.
“The woman was produced before a local court on Monday and remanded to three days of police custody. The joint interrogation by various central intelligence agencies will continue until we obtain complete information about her identity, intentions, and connections,”.
The woman was apprehended by Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel at Sabroom Railway Station on Saturday night after arriving via the Kanchanjunga Express, which operates from Sealdah (Kolkata) to Sabroom, passing through Malda Town, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, Badarpur, and Agartala, along the Bangladesh border.
Upon initial questioning, the woman communicated in Hindi, claiming to reside in Purani Basti, Delhi, and gave her name as Saheena Parveen. She failed to produce any valid identity document. Additionally, officials found several Pakistani contact numbers concealed in sheets of paper tied around her waist.
The official further stated that the woman initially confessed to being from Punjab, Pakistan, and that she had entered Bangladesh three years ago before crossing into India through West Bengal with the assistance of an agent. From there, she moved to Delhi and worked as a maid. She later claimed her plan was to return to Pakistan via Bangladesh, following instructions from the agent.
However, after prolonged questioning, the woman admitted to providing false statements. Her real identity was revealed as Louis Nighat Akhtar Bhano, wife of Mohammad Golaf Faraj, hailing from Village Younganabad, Chak No. 371, District Sheikhupura, Pakistan.
She disclosed that she had travelled to Nepal 12 years ago using a passport for drug trafficking purposes. In 2014, Nepalese authorities arrested her with one kilogram of brown sugar, sentencing her to 15 years in Kathmandu Jail. She reportedly escaped last month amid unrest in Nepal.
After her escape, Louis entered India and was advised by her associates and agent that the safest route to return to Pakistan was via Bangladesh, crossing the India-Bangladesh border either through West Bengal or Tripura. Failing to cross through West Bengal, she travelled to Tripura and reached Sabroom via the Kanchanjunga Express, intending to cross into Bangladesh.
Authorities have not ruled out possible espionage or other criminal activities, including the involvement of Pakistani drug cartels operating in Northeast India. Officials are focused on understanding her network, her contacts within India, and her broader intentions.
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A senior official said, “The woman’s arrest highlights the ongoing challenges posed by cross-border criminal networks in Northeast India. Our interrogation will reveal if she is part of a larger operation, including drug trafficking or intelligence-related activities.”
The GRP and intelligence officials continue their inquiry, and her three-day custody in Tripura courts is expected to provide further insights into her activities, networks, and plans.
