Police step up crackdown on illegal Bangladeshis

Continuing its drive against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants staying in the city, police on Tuesday warned of action against building owners renting out their premises and employers who hire such people without proper verification.

In case the tenants or employees were found to be illegal immigrants, stringent action would be taken against the building owners and their employers, police said.

"There are Bangladeshis in the city who don't have any documents with them and are staying in the country illegally. They can indulge in anti-national activities. Yet these people were provided shelter," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said.

"We will initiate the action of criminal conspiracy under section 120(B) of the IPC against those who harbour them," Rao said. He said some BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) contractors were also under the scanner for hiring these Bangladeshi labourers as they command very fewer wages. "We will initiate action against the BBMP contractors and will bring these facts to the notice of the higher-ups," he added.

Police launched a drive against the illegal immigrants after the National Investigation Agency busted a terror module of Jamat-ul-Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) by arresting three of its operatives holed up in and around Bengaluru.

These three ultras, involved in the Burdwan blast case, wanted to set up their base in South India to carry out their activities in different parts of India. The NIA probe had revealed that these operatives were in possession of incriminating material, including improvised explosive devices and had conducted training camps at a hill in Krishnagiri district of neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The NIA had also flagged its concern that Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, Mysuru, coastal regions and some interior parts of the state could be harbouring some JMB ultras. Following the NIA's inputs, the Karnataka government decided to constitute a Bengaluru specific Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). Recently, the police detained as many as 60 illegal Bangladeshi migrants. Police said they have widened their network to gather information about the illegal immigrants.