In a poignant homecoming shadowed by illness and unresolved family separation, Sunali Khatun, the 25-year-old pregnant woman at the centre of a cross-border citizenship controversy, finally returned to her village in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Saturday, December 7, 2025. Her return, mandated by the Supreme Court, was marked by emotional reunions and immediate medical concerns.
A Bittersweet Homecoming and Immediate Hospitalisation
Sunali Khatun, along with her eight-year-old son, crossed into Indian territory through the Mehadipur border outpost in Malda on Friday. Following their entry, she was kept under medical observation in Malda for a full 24 hours due to health concerns. She was subsequently transported to her parental home in Paikar village, Birbhum, in an ambulance.
The joy of reuniting with her five-year-old daughter and her parents, however, was short-lived. On Saturday, she fell sick and was admitted to the Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital for further treatment, casting a pall over her long-awaited return.
"Will Never Go to Delhi": A Vow Born of Trauma
Speaking to mediapersons from her home, where villagers gathered in large numbers to see her, Sunali expressed gratitude for her return but made a firm declaration about the national capital. "I am grateful to all for bringing me and my son back. But I will not go to Delhi again," she stated.
She recounted the traumatic events of June 2025, when she, her husband Danish Sheikh, their son, and another family from Birbhum were detained. "It was there that we were picked up by Delhi Police, labelled as illegal and then sent to Bangladesh. We implored the police saying we are Indians and are residents of Bengal. They did not listen to us," she said. She added that she was treated well by authorities in Bangladesh during her detention.
Family Remains Divided, Citizenship Contested
While Sunali and her son are now back in India, her ordeal is far from over. Her husband, Danish Sheikh, along with Sweety Bibi (32) and her two children—all fellow Birbhum residents—remain in Bangladesh. The Central government has contested their claims to Indian citizenship.
Sunali's return was secured solely on "humanitarian" grounds due to her advanced pregnancy, following the Supreme Court's intervention. Her father, Bhodu Sheikh, expressed happiness at her return and thanked activist Samirul Islam for his help. "We pray she delivers a healthy baby here. We want the others to be brought back," he said.
Sunali echoed this plea, stating, "Since my husband and others are still in Bangladesh, I appeal to all to bring them back." The family had previously lived and worked as migrant labourers in Delhi before their detention on June 18 and subsequent push into Bangladesh on June 26.
