Bengaluru Police Launch ‘Operation Mukta’ To Identify Illegal Immigrants

Bengaluru City Police on Saturday launched ‘Operation Mukta’, a special drive to identify suspected illegal immigrants living across the city.

The operation began in the early hours and covered more than 30 locations in Whitefield and 15 to 20 places around Electronic City. More than 500 police personnel took part in the Whitefield drive.

Police teams searched areas including Varthur, Kadugodi, Bellandur, Marathahalli, Mahadevapura and Hebbagodi. Around 40 people were detained in Whitefield for document checks. Four were identified as Bangladeshi nationals based on documents found with them. Verification of the others is still under way.

Police checked Aadhaar cards, voter IDs and other papers to confirm identity and citizenship. The searches also covered settlements with more than 250 sheds, where many people were staying in temporary homes.

Officials said some sheds were rented for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 a month. The role of landowners and others who may have helped provide accommodation is also being checked.

Those found to be Indian citizens will be allowed to stay after verification. Foreign nationals found to be staying without valid documents will be referred to the FRRO for legal action and possible deportation.

The drive comes amid wider checks in Karnataka. The state government had earlier said 320 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants had been detected across Karnataka over two years. In June, Bengaluru police also booked two landowners after finding a Bangladeshi national allegedly staying illegally in a shed.

The latest drive also follows a recent Karnataka High Court case involving a Bengaluru doctor who had reported a suspected illegal immigrant. The court questioned the police action and stayed further investigation against the doctor.