Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 6: In a fresh crackdown on illegal immigration, Mumbai Police have arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals who were allegedly living in the city without valid documents for nearly 15 years, officials said on Saturday.
The arrests were made by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Police during a targeted operation in Andheri. Acting on intelligence inputs, officers detained seven individuals suspected of residing illegally in India after entering the country through unauthorized routes.
According to police, the MIDC Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) received information that a group of undocumented foreign nationals would be visiting the area in search of work. Based on the tip-off, a surveillance operation was launched, leading to the apprehension of the suspects.
The arrested individuals include four men, two women and a minor boy. Preliminary investigations suggest that they had been living in Mumbai for around one-and-a-half decades while allegedly avoiding detection by law enforcement agencies.
During questioning, investigators discovered that the accused had maintained regular contact with relatives and associates in Bangladesh through telephone communication. Authorities are now examining their movements, local connections and possible support networks.
Police have also initiated efforts to identify individuals who may have facilitated their illegal entry into India or helped them obtain housing and employment during their stay in Mumbai.
The arrests are part of a broader statewide drive by Maharashtra Police against undocumented foreign nationals. Over the past several months, authorities have intensified intelligence-led operations and verification campaigns to trace individuals residing illegally across the state.
In a similar operation conducted earlier this year, Mumbai Police arrested 25 Bangladeshi nationals from the Yari Road area of Andheri West. The group included 21 transgender persons, two women and two men, all of whom were allegedly staying in India without legal authorization.
Investigators in that case claimed the individuals had entered India illegally through West Bengal before travelling via Delhi and Gujarat to Mumbai. Police also alleged that several of them had obtained forged Indian identity documents to establish residency and evade scrutiny.
A large number of Indian and Bangladeshi documents were seized during that operation and are being examined as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected document forgery and illegal immigration networks.
Authorities said efforts are continuing to identify and dismantle such networks operating in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. Further investigation into the latest arrests is underway.