Mumbai: Record number of illegal Bangladeshi nationals arrested in 45 days

In the last 45 days Mumbai police managed to arrest 299 Bangladeshi citizens residing in the city illegallymdashthe highest number recorded so far as compared to 150160 illegal immigrants nabbed by the police annually The drive against illegal Bangladeshi militants that began last year has drastically intensified this year The police are now in the process of deporting those arrestedAs per the data the land borders stretching approximately 40967 km along West Bengal 22167 km Assam 263 km Meghalaya 443 km Tripura 856 km and Mizoram 318 km are surrounded by hills mountains and riversInterrogation of those arrested revealed that since most of the land borders are guarded by the BSF jawans they are increasingly using the river routes to enter Indian territoriesThere are around 54 rivers along the IndiaBangladesh border across five states West Bengal Assam Meghalaya Tripura and Mizoram The police said that the rivers are increasingly becoming the safest routes for immigrants to cross the bordersldquoIn the recent Saif Ali Khan attack case the assailant who is a Bangladeshi national reached India by crossing the Dawki River He entered Meghalaya after crossing the border and from there he reached Mumbai in search of a jobrdquo an officer from Bandra police station said on the condition of anonymityAccording to the Bangladeshi nationals they found that some of the rivers along the IndiaBangladesh border go dry during the summer months making it easy for them to cross They even take advantage of low visibility due to fog during winter to cross the borderRivers used for illegal entryPadma River The river begins in India at the junction of the Ganges and Jamuna Rivers and ends in Bangladesh At the border where the Padma River starts the water level becomes low and slow During summer the river dries up Many Bangladeshis arrested by Mumbai police have revealed details about this routeDawki River Also known as the Umngot River it is a famous river in Meghalaya known for its crystalclear water making it a popular boating destination This route from Bangladesh to India is hardly 200 metres long Shariful Islam who attacked Saif Ali Khan entered India via this routeSonai River Located in Assam and Mizoram the river is less than 100 metres wide and narrows further in some areas The Sonai River along the West Bengal border poses a major security threat as it is frequently used for human trafficking from Bangladesh to India and often by smugglers However seasonal challenges such as heavy rains fog and winter conditions make crossing difficultIchhamati River Located near the Benapole border in West Bengal the river is not more than 100 metres wide and is frequently used by Bangladeshi citizens to enter India Many boats operate in this area facilitating illegal migration with the help of agents According to sources this border is also used for smuggling food medicines and drugsRaimangal River The river bordering West Bengal also located at the Benapole border is another commonly used route It is not more than 150 metres wide at the border However it is deep with a strong current making it difficult to cross During summer many Bangladeshis use this river to enter India illegallyRoad and forest routes usedBhomra Bhomra Land Port in West Bengal is a trade route between India and Bangladesh However it is also used for human trafficking Bangladeshi migrants pay agents around Rs 30000 to be smuggled into India and vice versaBaghmara This is a difficult route that involves crossing 150 km of dense forest Bangladeshi nationals cross on foot from Durgapur Bangladesh to Baghmara in Meghalaya Once in India they are transported to Krishnai and New Bongaigaon railway stations in AssamThe Radcliffe Line Tripura shares an 856kmlong border with Bangladesh Known as the Radcliffe Line it is the fifthlongest land border in the world Some sections are fenced on both sides but other parts remain vulnerable Many Bangladeshis take advantage of the darkness to cross into India illegally in pursuit of a better lifeHasnabad and Hakimpur Hakimpur and Hasnabad are villages in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district located along the IndiaBangladesh border The border here consists of a narrow water body less than 50 metres wide Every day many Indians cross into Bangladesh for farming and return by 2 pm and vice versa Cattle are also smuggled through this route Bangladeshi citizens consider this one of the safest routes to cross the border illegally with the help of agentsGobardanga The Gobardanga border is another favoured crossing point along the West Bengal border Many enter India illegally by slipping under the border fencing Jhaudanga village in Bangladesh is a key entry point where migrants use gaps in the fencing to crossBenapolePetrapole Border Many Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Mumbai have admitted to entering India through the Benapole border in Kolkata which is an international crossing point between India and Bangladesh also known as the Petrapole Crossing While this route is primarily used for trade many Bangladeshis use it for smuggling and illegal entry through fencing gaps and small river routes Police sources indicate that many agents are active in this regionCopSpeakSpeaking with midday Joint Commissioner of Police Law and Order Satyanarayan Chaudhary said ldquoIn the last 45 days we have arrested 299 Bangladeshi citizensmdashthe highest number recorded so far In previous years we arrested around 150160 Bangladeshi citizens who were living illegally in IndiaMost of these accused entered the country through various border routes We have also instructed all police stations in Mumbai to take strict action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing without valid passports and visasrdquoChaudhary added ldquoWe have a special IBranch of Special Branch1 that is actively deporting illegal immigrants to their respective countriesmdashincluding Pakistan and Bangladesh We are also working with Aadhaar and PAN card centres to verify documents as many Bangladeshi citizens create fake documents to claim Indian citizenshiprdquo299No of illegal Bangla immigrants nabbed in 45 daysGraphicYogesh Jain