In continuation of the crackdown on illegal foreign nationals who stay without any documents or with expired visa periods, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) wing has arrested five Bangladeshi nationals who had been staying illegally in Veppampattu in Tiruvallur district near Chennai.
The crackdown, involving the Q Branch and ATS, has been targeting illegal immigrants who often obtain fake Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards to work in textile units or construction sites.
In January 2026, the Tamil Nadu Q Branch team and the Annur police detained 11 Bangladeshi nationals who were found staying illegally at Annur in Coimbatore district. Acting on specific information, Q Branch sleuths conducted surprise raids in a locality at Annur. They inspected the residential quarters and rental rooms occupied by migrant workers and verified their identity documents. During the search, the police identified 11 Bangladeshi nationals who could not produce valid passports or visas.
Acting on a tip-off, ATS police conducted a surprise check in Veppampattu residential areas. There they found 5 Bangladeshi nationals. Police said that upon verification, the foreign nationals were working in the construction industry as masons and helpers. The arrested were identified as Akram (24) and Masrul (20). It was found that the duo came to India through an illegal ferry and reached Karnataka and then Tamil Nadu.
In a similar crackdown, the ATS team searched Red Hills areas near Chennai and arrested Jagarullah Islam (37), Sahalal Islam (26), and Harirul Islam (31), all from Bangladesh.
In February, Chennai’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested two Bangladeshi nationals, Mohammad Harun Mai (44) and his relative Waliullah Khan (also known as Babul Hussain), who were working at a biryani shop in the Thousand Lights area after they allegedly used forged documents to obtain Indian passports, PAN, ration cards, and voter IDs and conceal their true identities.
On March 6, officials from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) at Chennai International Airport intercepted Mohammad Harun Mai when he was trying to board a flight to Bangladesh using an Indian passport acquired fraudulently by hiding his Bangladeshi citizenship. Discrepancies in his documents prompted his transfer to the CCB’s Fake Passport Investigation Unit, where a case was formally registered.
Interrogation revealed that Mohammad Mai had first entered India illegally in 1999 by crossing the border near Shahpur village in Tripura’s Srimantapur area. He made several unauthorised trips between 1999 and 2008 for work. In 2022, he entered legally on a Bangladeshi passport but overstayed his visa. Settling in Chennai, he found employment at biryani shops, eventually managing one in the Thousand Lights locality. Now people ask why the people who helped them to get jobs, provided accommodation, and helped them obtain documents were not arrested.
By Lakshmann Chettiar
சென்னை ஆயிரம் விளக்கு பகுதியில் பிரியாணி கடை நடத்திவந்த வங்கதேசத்தை சேர்ந்த முகமது ஹருன் மாய் கைது..!_
_இவன் 1999-ம் ஆண்டு திரிபுராவில் உள்ள ஷாப்பூர் கிராமத்திற்கு அருகிலுள்ள ஸ்ரீமந்தபூர் எல்லையிலிருந்து இந்தியாவிற்குள் ஊடுருவி வந்துள்ளான்._
_1999 முதல்… pic.twitter.com/G2S8X9gpQb
— Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian (Modi ka Pariwar) (@BS_Prasad) March 8, 2026
Recently, six Bangladeshi nationals who were part of a terror module handled by Pakistan agents were arrested by Delhi Police.
On January 29 this year, police arrested 11 Bangladeshi nationals from Coimbatore and two from Dindigul. A month ago, 18 Bangladeshi nationals were sentenced to imprisonment for illegal stay.
In July 2025, 19 Bangladeshi nationals (10 women, 9 men) were sentenced to three months in prison for illegal entry and stay in Sikkarayapuram, near Mangadu (Avadi City Police limits, bordering Chennai/Tiruvallur).
In January 2025, the ATS arrested 31 Bangladeshi nationals in Tiruppur for illegal entry and staying with forged documents.
In June 2025, 26 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested near Palladam, Tiruppur.
In January, police arrested 98 Bangladeshi nationals in Tiruppur district for staying without valid documents. Police have been making arrests in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts. Here they can easily get employment in hosiery units and industries in Coimbatore besides odd jobs in construction and farming sectors.
Hosur ASP Anil Akashay Wakhare told the media in April 2025 that four people were living in the Aviapally region. He said, “We conducted an inspection at the location following inputs. We found that Basar Mulla (46), his wife Ratna Begum (41), their son Alijadar Mulla (19), and his cousin Jamu Khattam (25) were living in India illegally. It is found that they migrated to Kolkata in 2003. They moved to many places including Mumbai and Bangalore before coming to Hosur to settle down. They engaged here in the fish-selling trade.” Police registered a case and the arrested were remanded in judicial custody.
In a related development, the Tamil Nadu government told the High Court that from 2022 to May 2025, 237 foreign nationals have been deported to their countries. Chennai Security Branch CID SP N. Stephen Jesupatham, in a counter affidavit filed on behalf of the DGP, said that during this period 66 cases were registered against 188 foreign nationals who were found to be overstaying in Tamil Nadu.
In January 2023, 16 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Chengalpattu district.
Taking to his X page, BJP Tamil Nadu leader Annamalai came down heavily on the ruling DMK, calling it a “Drama Model Government” that is clueless, lethargic, and preoccupied with suppressing opposition voices instead of maintaining law and order. He alleged that the state police force is being misused to intimidate social media critics, arrest elderly women over minor protests, and silence journalists while criminals roam freely.
The Drama Model DMK Government is clueless, lethargic, and a symbol of bureaucratic negligence. The entire police force under this Government in TN is devoted to intimidating social media functionaries of opposition parties, journalists, forming teams to arrest elderly women who… pic.twitter.com/7SmAxb28TT
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 1, 2025
He raised serious concerns about the disappearance of over 75 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who were previously out on bail and meant to be housed in Trichy’s special camp before trial or deportation. These individuals were among approximately 175 foreign nationals apprehended for illegal stay and travel without valid documents.
Annamalai said the DMK government has no clue about their whereabouts, raising questions about security lapses and negligence.
This follows the Apex Court and Central government’s directive last year to all state governments and Union Territories to find out illegal and overstaying immigrants or Rohingyas, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani nationals.
Critics fear that if concerned personnel undertake vigorous searches in Tamil Nadu, they can nab thousands of such immigrants. Police apathy and politicians’ pampering them with special favours for their votes may lead to a West Bengal-like situation if efforts are not made to weed them out in true spirit and sincerity. This is the reason why West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have opposed SIR, and we all know what came out after the same exercise. In West Bengal, the Supreme Court had to intervene and appoint judicial officers as the state government kept filing petition after petition and its officers worked as per its diktats.
