Bhagalpur/Patna: Two Pakistani women residing in Bhagalpur, Bihar, were found to have obtained Indian voter ID cards during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, prompting authorities to initiate action to remove their names from the voter list and launch a wider probe. The Union home ministry’s verification drive to identify foreigners overstaying visas flagged three Pakistani nationals in Bhagalpur, including the two women, leading the state police headquarters to seek a detailed report from the district administration.
According to preliminary findings, the women—identified in reports as Imrana Khanam alias Imrana Khatoon and Firdousia Khanam—had EPIC numbers issued in their names and were living in the Islampur police station’s jurisdiction, with addresses in Bhikanpur Gumti No. 3, Tank Lane, officials said. Bhagalpur District Magistrate Dr. Naval Kishore Chaudhary said the process to strike their names off the rolls has begun, following a Special Branch report that set off alarm at the police headquarters.
The home ministry’s probe indicated that Firdousia, originally from Rangpur, arrived in India on a three-month visa on January 19, 1956, while Imrana came on a three-year visa; in a related case, Pakistani national Mohammad Aslam reportedly entered India on May 24, 2002 for two years and obtained an Aadhaar card, officials added. The revelations have raised fresh questions about enrollment checks, with the state seeking verification from the DM and SSP and calling for corrective measures under electoral rules.
Further action is expected after the district submits a comprehensive report on how the enrollments occurred and the steps taken to prevent recurrence.
