Bolpur: A foreign student of Visva-Bharati University was allegedly picked up from his doorstep in Bolpur. The university authorities have informed the Bolpur police station via e-mail.
The student's name is Panchara Thai, who hails from Myanmar. Thai is doing research on Buddhist philosophy at the Visva-Bharati's Department of Comparative Religion and Philosophy. He was allegedly picked up by a car from his rented house in Indira Palli in Bolpur. Police are investigating whether the student was kidnapped or detained by any central agency.
Thai came from Myanmar eight years ago and has been studying in Bolpur since then. His visa is valid till 2024 and he submitted his research thesis in 2022. He used to live at a rented house in Bolpur's Indira Pally. On Thursday afternoon, some people came in a black car and questioned neighbours about Thai after showing his photograph.
According to locals, the men entered Thai's rented house and took away his mobile phone. They then shoved him into the car and left. A classmate of Thai reported this to Visva-Bharati authorities, which in turn informed the Bolpur police station. The Bolpur police team led by the Additional District Superintendent of Police and Bolpur SDPO went to Thai's rented house last night and questioned his neighbours.
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Also, police examined the CCTV footage of the area. However, cops are yet to ascertain whether it was an abduction, or whether the student was detained by a central agency. All possibilities are being explored, police said. The manner in which the student was picked up by a car in broad daylight has triggered panic among his friends and neighbours.
