Over 1 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in Karnataka?

Team Udayavani, Oct 14, 2024, 9:45 AM IST

Udupi: Explosive revelations are emerging during the interrogation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants detained in Malpe. One of the arrested individuals claimed that nearly 25,000 people have entered India from Bangladesh over the past three to five years. Police sources suggest that there could be over a lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in Karnataka. These immigrants are said to have entered India through a network via West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.

Forged documents are reportedly prepared at the border areas, which the immigrants then use to travel to various parts of India. In the last 3-5 years, around 25,000 illegal immigrants are believed to have reached Karnataka in small groups through different states. These immigrants have mainly settled in areas like Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, and Bengaluru, according to information provided by one of the accused, police sources told Udayavani.

The illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, who were recently arrested in Udupi, have disclosed this information to the police. However, tracking down such a large number of immigrants poses a significant challenge for law enforcement. Many who arrived years ago have integrated well, learning Kannada and blending into local communities. Some have even purchased property and homes. These individuals are reported to possess Indian documents like Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards, further complicating the matter.

The intelligence agencies do not yet have precise information regarding these immigrants. Retired police officers have stated that unless local police stations intensify their efforts, it will be difficult to detect these illegal immigrants.

Need for Thorough Investigation

There is a growing call for the police to interrogate brokers who bring in laborers from other states. After the recent incident in Malpe, the police have so far questioned only 8-10 people. Local residents believe that efforts should be made to identify how many more illegal workers are residing in the area.

Police Custody Expected Today

On Monday, the detained Bangladeshi nationals will likely be taken into police custody. They are expected to be interrogated for around 10 days.

“Once illegal immigrants enter India, it is not easy to locate them or estimate how many have settled in the area. This investigation involves various departments, including the Border Security Force, the Army, the Central Government, the State Government, and the Home Department. Once inside India, these immigrants use buses, trains, or other modes of transport to disperse across different regions. The police investigation into this matter is currently ongoing.”– Dr. K. Arun, Superintendent of Police, Udupi

Visa Provided to Manik by Aiyunul

One of the detained Bangladeshi nationals, Mohammad Manik Hussain, was about to leave for Dubai on October 11 through Mangaluru Airport. His visa was reportedly arranged by his friend Aiyunul, who works as a construction laborer in Dubai. Aiyunul had planned to bring Manik to work in construction. Manik had acquired his passport through Parvez, a resident of Udupi. Investigations revealed that Aiyunul had briefly lived in West Bengal before relocating to Dubai.

The police are investigating whether Aiyunul had previously brought others from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to Dubai and if he had helped them obtain Aadhaar cards and other identification documents.

Coastal Region a Hub for Trafficking?

The discovery of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in coastal Karnataka has raised concerns about the region becoming a hotspot for human trafficking agents. In the past, there have been reports of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in the coastal areas. Although police had detained a few suspects, they were unable to find evidence of Bangladeshi nationals.

Sea Route Used for Smuggling

On June 11, 2021, Mangaluru police detained 38 Sri Lankan nationals who had illegally entered India. During interrogation, it was revealed that an agent had promised them jobs in Canada and sent them to Mangaluru via Tamil Nadu. They had been staying at a lodge in Mangaluru. The agent had planned to send them abroad by boat. The case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Similarly, in 2012, 84 individuals were detained in Mangaluru as they were preparing to leave for Australia via human trafficking routes. In 2013, women and children from Sri Lanka were also detained in Mangaluru as they were about to be smuggled abroad by boat.