Tirupur, Tamil Nadu: In a significant crackdown on illegal immigration, police in Tirupur district have apprehended 26 Bangladeshi nationals for unlawfully entering and residing in India. The arrests, stemming from a specific intelligence input, revealed that these individuals had been working in various textile and garment units across the district, with some reportedly living in and around Palladam for over five years, raising serious concerns about national security and local safety.
28 Bangladeshi Nationals Illegally Staying In Tiruppur has been arrested In Tamilnadu. #Tirupppur #BangladeshiInfiltrators #BangladeshiNationals #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/91muS1UxZb
— AdvocatePrashanth (@Advocateklp) January 25, 2025
The latest operation, conducted on the night of June 18, was a joint effort spearheaded by a special team reporting to the District Police Superintendent, alongside the Q Branch (intelligence wing) and the local Palladam police. The coordinated raid led to the rounding up of the labourers at RM Nagar in Kunnagalpalayam near Palladam. Investigations revealed that the arrested individuals were residing in row houses rented by a local known as Poongodi, who frequently leases properties to migrant workers employed in the vicinity’s knitwear units. Police stated that of the 26 arrested, 20 had joined the textile units as recently as five months ago, while the remaining five had been employed in export units for the past three years.
Authorities also seized fraudulent documents from the arrested individuals. It was discovered that they had managed to obtain Aadhaar cards by submitting forged documents, which they subsequently used upon their arrival in Tiruppur. These Aadhaar cards were then utilized to rent houses, effectively allowing them to blend into the local population. All the arrested labourers have been formally booked under Sections 3(2)(c) and 14 of the Foreigners Act, which pertains to illegal entry and stay, and have since been remanded to the Puzhal prison in Chennai.
This incident marks the second major apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals in Tiruppur district this year, indicating a persistent challenge for law enforcement. The frequent occurrence of such arrests has sparked considerable anxiety among local residents. A social media activist, sharing concerns, highlighted that nearly 74 foreign nationals have been held in the region in just one month, questioning: “are we safe here? Tamil Nadu is safe locals?” This sentiment reflects a growing apprehension within the community about the implications of unchecked illegal immigration on local security and resources.
ஒரே மாதத்தில் திருப்பூரில் 74 வங்கதேசத்தினர் தீவிரவாத தடுப்பு பிரிவு போலீசாரால் கைது செய்யப்பட்டு உள்ளது திருப்பூர் மக்களிடையே தமிழகம் பாதுகாப்பான மாநிலம் தானா என்ற கேள்வியை எழுப்புகிறது என்று தமிழக மக்கள் மற்றும் சமூக ஆர்வலர்கள் கருத்து தெரிவித்து வருகின்றனர். #திருப்பூர் pic.twitter.com/QyS4UVBKJI
— AdvocatePrashanth (@Advocateklp) January 25, 2025
Reports indicate a standardised modus operandi among the arrested. Upon document verification, while all possessed Aadhaar cards, the addresses provided by 25 of the individuals traced back to West Bengal, further confirming their Bangladeshi origin and the use of forged identification. Some of the arrested individuals had reportedly been residing in the Tiruppur area for over a decade, indicating a long-standing network of illegal entry and settlement. The police investigation revealed that all the arrested managed to enter India illegally through West Bengal, a common entry point for cross-border infiltrators, and subsequently traveled to Tiruppur by train, leveraging the vast Indian railway network to reach their destination.
This recent large-scale arrest follows earlier similar incidents in the district. Just a week prior, on June 13, four Bangladeshi nationals, including two teenagers, were apprehended in the Chennimalai area for staying without valid passports or visas. These individuals were also found to be employed in private factories in and around the locality. That operation was also a coordinated raid conducted by the Chennimalai police and the Q branch, acting on specific tip-offs about foreign nationals, particularly Bangladeshis, residing and working illegally. The arrested were identified as Mohammed Naim Hussain, Mohammed Minor Hussain, Mohammed Dorigul Islam, and Mohammed Kuthiz Hussain.
Earlier in January this year, 31 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in a joint operation involving local police jurisdictions and the Coimbatore Anti-Terrorist Squad. Of this group, 28 were arrested in Palladam, while the remaining three were apprehended from the Veerapandi and Nallur areas, further highlighting the widespread presence of such individuals in the region’s industrial hubs.
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