Illegal immigrants possess Aadhaar and Ration Cards

Mysore/Mysuru: Following the arrest of two Bangladeshi illegal immigrants by City Crime Branch (CCB) Police from Immavu village on Feb. 28 night, it has now come to light that there are more than 30 illegal immigrants staying in various industrial areas in Nanjangud. 

The CCB Police had arrested 27-year-old Mohammad Abdullah and 25-year-old Mohammad Habibullah from Immavu village where they were staying illegally for the past one year and during interrogation, the two reportedly confessed to have entered the country from Bangladesh illegally.

Police sources said that the two were said to be working at a factory in Tandya Industrial Estate in the taluk for the past one year.

Sources at the State Intelligence Wing said that many immigrants, without a visa and passport, have sneaked into the country and working as labourers at various industries at Tandya, Adakanahalli and other areas in Nanjangud taluk.

Police sources also said that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, aged between 20 and 28 years are working at various industries in Nanjangud Industrial Areas.

It has come to light that these illegal immigrants do not have passports or visas or any other identity cards and have illegally entered the country through West Bengal borders by allegedly bribing the officials at the border.

With a lack of unavailability of local labour force and the ones appointed already, taking leave  of absence frequently, and some even using Labour Laws to create work hindrance, have forced industrialists in Nanjangud Taluk to appoint these illegal immigrants without checking their background thoroughly,  thus resulting in many foreign nationals staying illegally, said the Police.

The arrested Bangladeshi immigrants possess Aadhaar and Ration Cards

The two arrested illegal immigrants — Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Habibullah — are brothers from Shyamnagar of Satkhira District in Bangladesh, who entered the country in 2018. They were working at Rishi Fabrics, a bag manufacturing unit at Tandya Industrial Area and were staying at Immavu village.

City Crime Branch (CCB) Police said that following their arrest, the two were taken to Nanjangud Rural Police Station and were interrogated, during which the Police came to know that they do not have a valid visa nor a passport. 

The Police also came to know that all foreign nationals have been appointed as outsourced employees and have been given Aadhaar and Ration Cards.

Nanjangud Rural Police, who have registered a case after the CCB Police handed over the case to them, produced the two Bangladeshi immigrants before a Magistrate, who remanded them to judicial custody, according to the Police.

In the backdrop of foreign nationals staying in the region, we have already held two meetings with the office-bearers of Nanjangud Industries Association and have given them suggestions and guidance. We have told them to collect the documents and other information of outsiders working in factories and produce the documents to the Police Station. We have received information of more immigrants who are staying illegally and we would once again hold a meeting with the owners of factories and industrial associations and will personally conduct an inspection. In case such issues come up, legal action would be initiated. — C.B. Ryshyanth, Superintendent of Police