Cooch Behar, Oct. 31 -- Residents of former enclaves in Cooch Behar district are once again gripped by fear and uncertainty over the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Although the enclave exchange between India and Bangladesh took place in 2015-when 51 Bangladeshi enclaves under Indian control were integrated into India and 111 Indian enclaves were transferred to Bangladesh-former enclave residents now worry that their hard-won citizenship may be questioned again.

Their fears stem from the administration's move to verify citizenship based on the 2002 voter list. Many enclave residents, who were citizens of Bangladesh at that time, naturally do not appear on that list.

The anxiety recalls painful memories from before the enclave exchange. In 2006, several residents of Dakshin Moshaldanga-then a Bangladeshi enclave-tried to migrate to Dehradun for work. Among them was Amir Hossain. As soon as they crossed into Nazirhat, within Indian territory, the BSF detained them, along with an Indian broker.

The group was later handed over to Dinhata police and charged with illegal entry. They were released on bail but convicted in 2008 and spent nearly three years in prison.

After their release, amid widespread protests, their families were allowed to return to Mashaldanga without being pushed back. In 2014, Amir Hossain represented his enclave at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's meeting in Dakurhat, where she personally presented him a shawl-a gift he still treasures.

The following year brought historic change. The enclave exchange granted Hossain and hundreds like him Indian citizenship, along with voter cards, Aadhaar, and other documents. But now, with the rollout of SIR in 2025, fear has returned. "When I was in the Bangladeshi enclave, I was beaten whenever I entered Indian land," recalls Hossain, now in his sixties. "In 2006, I went to jail. In 2015, India gave me citizenship and documents. Now they say my name must be on the 2002 voter list. How can that be? Will I go to jail again-or end my life in a detention camp?"

Hundreds of families across more than 50 former enclaves, including South Mashaldanga, share the same worry-after finally becoming Indians, will they have to prove their identity all over again?

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.