BENGALURU: A widespread police crackdown targeting suspected illegal immigrants in Whitefield and Electronics City here led to the detention of 105 Bangladeshi nationals and scrutiny of identity documents of nearly 3,000 people.Dubbed ‘Operation Mukta’, the drive covered 91 locations and began on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, continuing through Saturday. Police were still verifying the records of several migrants.M Narayana, DCP (Electronics City), said several of those detained possessed Aadhaar cards. “We will register separate cases to investigate how and when these cards were issued and who issued them,” he said.Police officers stressed that verification had to be carried out with a lot of discretion as some Indian citizens from West Bengal and Assam were also among those questioned.Police are also examining the employment and accommodation networks of the suspected illegal immigrants.A senior officer said many of those detained were working in waste management, including garbage collection and rag-picking, while some were food-delivery agents and gig workers.
Raids at 91 location
Most detainees were found living in makeshift sheds rented for Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 a month and shared by five to six people. Police are examining the landlords’ role in providing accommodation.The crackdown follows a Karnataka high court observation, questioning police action against a doctor who reported a suspected illegal Bangladeshi migrant. The court stayed the case against the doctor.The operation involved 60 police teams comprising more than 600 personnel, including women police officers. Of the 105 Bangladeshi nationals detained, 62 were from Whitefield and 43 from Electronics City.Police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said around 300 illegal Bangladeshi migrants had been deported from Bengaluru three months ago and that raids had continued since then.“This special drive focused on Whitefield, Electronics City and parts of southeast Bengaluru, where we had credible information about migrants. The raids will continue,” he told TOI.Singh appealed to citizens to share information about suspected illegal immigrants with police, while warning against vigilantism. “Cases will be registered against those who attack or assault people merely on suspicion that they are Bangladeshi migrants,” he said.
