Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants arrested in Bangalore

The Bangalore police has arrested sixteen illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, including four women, who had taken up rented accommodation on the outskirts of the City after sneaking across the border without any documents.

Joint Commissioner of Bangalore City Police Gopal Hosur told reporters that the illegal immigrants were staying as tenants in Bellatur, Kadugodi, Hoskote and Kothanur on the outskirts of Bangalore ever since they crossed the border six months ago by paying Rs 1,000.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths from the City Crime Branch nabbed 18-year-old Sabu Sheikh, a native of Nadiyal in Bangladesh, when he was trying to push counterfeit currency notes of Rs 1,000 denomination at Bellatur bus stand.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to have carried around 50 such counterfeit notes of Rs 1,000 denomination before illegally entering India and had already put 38 of them into circulation. The police recovered from him the remaining 12 notes, which had been printed in a foreign country.

Based on Sheikh’s disclosures, the police arrested the other illegal immigrants, who had taken up small-time jobs and work as construction labourers. Gopal Hosur said the accused, who did not have passports or any documents, had visited Mumbai before coming to Bangalore. “They have booked under Foreigners’ Act for illegal stay”, he said.

Hosur said the police would also investigate whether the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh had any links to terror outfits. The police will also probe them for networking with other illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the Bangalore City police, following the arrest of illegal Bangladesh immigrants has advised landlords to verify the antecedents of the tenants, their occupation and family details before renting out their premises.