The nationwide raids spanned 55 locations across ten states and union territories, including Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA collaborated with Border Security Force (BSF) and state police personnel to carry out these coordinated efforts.
In Tamil Nadu, the NIA executed search operations in various locations, including Pallikaranai, Perumbakkam, and Padappai in Chennai, as well as Tiruvallur, Coimbatore, and Tiruppur districts. They were investigating a case involving the trafficking of Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationals into India and the issuance of fake Aadhaar cards and other local credentials that falsely identified them as residents of Tripura.
NIA sources revealed that the human trafficking networks were responsible for smuggling migrants through the Indo-Bangladesh border into India and assisting them in securing employment using fraudulent identity documents, mainly in the northeastern states of West Bengal and Assam.
The NIA received crucial information about these networks, prompting them to act swiftly. In Tirupur, near Palladam, NIA officials, in conjunction with local authorities, conducted searches at three garment units. During the raids, they seized several documents related to migrant workers.
In a joint operation with the Puducherry police, the NIA arrested a man named Babu (26), a Kolkata native who had been residing in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. The arrest came after a search operation at a warehouse near Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children Hospital in Ellaipillaichavady. The operation also resulted in the seizure of an iPhone, Aadhaar cards, and various documents.
Notably, the NIA team’s presence in Puducherry was linked to Babu’s involvement in a criminal case. This nationwide operation aimed to dismantle the support networks involved in human trafficking, which facilitated the infiltration and settlement of illegal migrants from across the Indo-Bangladesh border into India.
During the searches conducted on the previous day, the NIA seized a significant amount of evidence, including mobile phones, SIM cards, pen drives, and various identity-related documents, such as fake Aadhaar and PAN cards. Additionally, a substantial amount of cash totaling Rs 20 lakh and $4,550 in foreign currency was confiscated from the arrested individuals.
The roots of this operation can be traced back to September when a Special Task Force of the Assam Police initiated a case against human trafficking networks responsible for infiltrating illegal migrants, including Rohingya refugees, through the Indo-Bangladesh border. Subsequently, NIA branches in Guwahati, Chennai, Bangalore, and Jaipur registered human trafficking cases and conducted multiple searches in each location.
The modus operandi of these agents reportedly involved luring migrants, often Rohingyas, with promises of jobs. Upon their illegal arrival in India, the agents facilitated their journey to various parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Tirupur, and Coimbatore. The agents, allegedly enjoying official support, then helped the migrants obtain identity documents with fake details. Tamil Nadu, like Assam and West Bengal, has become a significant hub for illegal migrants, making it increasingly challenging for authorities to distinguish between them and workers from other states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. The use of fake identities further complicates the identification process.
On November 16, 2016, the Government had informed the Parliament that according to available inputs, there were around 20 million (two crore) illegal Bangladeshi migrants staying in India. The UMHA communication said India is a large country having its border with many countries. People in the sub-continent have a common history and share many similarities in physical looks. “Due to a variety of reasons, including political and economic turmoil in neighbouring countries, people from such countries often enter India. There are cultural and ethnic similarities, on many occasions such migration goes unnoticed and they settle in Indian territory,” Joint Secretary in the UMHA Dilip Kumar said in the letter sent on August 8. The Centre also directed the State Governments to set up a task force at district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals. Source – SATP ( South Asia Terrorism Portal) Link: https://www.satp.org/terrorism-update/illegal-immigrants-like-the-rohingyas-pose-grave-security-challenges-says-umha
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai in his reply to the Parliament on 10 August, 2021, said “Central Government has issued instructions to State Governments / UT Administrations advising them to sensitize the law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking appropriate steps for prompt identification of illegal migrants, their restriction to specified locations as per provisions of law, capturing their biographic and biometric particulars, cancellation of fake Indian documents and for taking legal proceedings including initiation of deportation proceedings as per provisions of law. Consolidated instructions to tackle the issue of overstay and illegal migration of foreign nationals have also been issued on 30.03.2021.”
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As per limited data available, the number of Bangladeshi nationals who have overstayed in the country beyond the period of their visa validity after entering India legally during the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 is 25942, 49645 and 35055 respectively. State-wise numbers of illegal immigrants who entered India without any documents and who were apprehended along Indo-Bangladesh border and handed over to authorities of Government of Bangladesh from 2017 till 27.01.2020 are as follows:
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Click here to download detailed information about illegal migrants
This nationwide crackdown on human trafficking networks is a significant step towards disrupting these well-networked operations that pose a threat to national security. It underscores the need for concerted efforts to address this issue and prevent the continued sheltering of illegal migrants.
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