Bengaluru police detain 15 in drive against undocumented foreigners; rights groups object
Bengaluru city police have detained 15 persons, allegedly Bangladeshi nationals, who were found to be staying in the city without valid visa or citizenship documents. The detentions were made during a special verification drive conducted on Saturday.
Police teams visited over 30 places, primarily in the eastern and southeastern parts of the city, and checked a total of 1,909 suspected persons. Their backgrounds, nationality, and identity documents, including visas and passports, were scrutinised during the operation.
According to police, the detainees are allegedly from Bagerhat and Khulna in Bangladesh. Legal action would be initiated against all 15 persons under applicable laws, and their verified documents are being submitted to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for deportation, police said.
Saidulu Adavath, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Whitefield, said police visited nearly 30 locations in his jurisdiction as part of the drive.
Speaking about the operation, Home Minister Priyank Kharge said that over 1,000 undocumented foreigners had been found in the last three months. He said a dedicated team would be formed if needed. He also noted that Karnataka does not share an international border, and that illegal entry is taking place through northern States with porous borders. "We are in touch with the Border Security Force," he said.
The drive has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups. The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), and other organisations have written to Karnataka's Director General of Police and to Mr. Kharge, stating that the action is "illegal and constitutionally impermissible."
The groups alleged that police conducted "verifications" and checked documents, and that several people had their phones seized and private messages and call logs examined. "The presence of a foreign number on a phone does not prove or even create a prima facie case to presume foreign citizenship," the statement said. They have demanded the immediate release of the detained persons.
Under the Foreigners Act, 1946, foreign nationals are required to hold valid visas, and staying beyond the permitted period is an offence. Deportation orders are typically issued by the FRRO after due process. The current drive is part of a broader effort by Karnataka Police to identify and deport foreign nationals residing in the state without proper documentation.
The development is part of a wider national discussion on immigration law and enforcement. In recent months, several states have intensified efforts to detect and deport foreign nationals residing without valid documents, leading to debate over the adequacy of legal protections for such individuals.
The controversy highlights the tension between immigration enforcement and civil liberties. While the police maintain that the verification process is lawful and necessary, rights groups argue that such drives can lead to profiling and harassment of marginalised communities. The detained persons' identities and legal status are yet to be fully determined, and further details are awaited.
