Mumbai: Many Bangladeshi nationals illegally entering India are bypassing traditional illegal routes through West Bengal’s Kalyani, Howrah and Kolkata due to increased border patrolling and are instead opting for roads to Guwahati, shows MIDC police’s probe. Upon arrival, they allegedly stay confined to homes for some time to learn Hindi and scrub out all markers of identity from their speech to avoid detection when stepping out to look for jobs.MIDC police, who arrested seven illegal Bangladeshis in Mumbai and Pune last week, have found that agents in West Bengal are charging Rs 50,000-1 lakh each for forged Aadhaar and PAN cards to allow such immigrants to settle in different parts of the country.Of the seven who were arrested, five—all women—were sent to Pune immediately upon arrival in India and confined to a rental home. There, a police officer said, they underwent training in Hindi. The women worked as domestic help and at salons. Police caught them on June 26 and plan to take legal proceedings against the flat owner.MIDC police’s action began with the arrest of Bayajid Shaikh (24) on June 24. Shaikh, a Bangladeshi, entered India through Guwahati and stayed in Palghar while being employed in Andheri for the past year. Authorities learnt that he brought at least six women from Bangladesh, employing them in Mumbai and Pune.Based on information from Shaikh, DCP (zone 10) Datta Nalawade led a team, including ACP Shashikant Bhosale, MIDC police inspector Sanjay Chavan, assistant inspector Yash Palwe, and SIs Mahadev Jagtap and Dhanshree Dembare, that nabbed two persons in Andheri and then the five women in Pune.The police investigation began after a govt resolution was issued on June 23, which held owners of establishments accountable if they employ illegal Bangladeshi migrants, effectively making them responsible for providing shelter to such individuals. It said govt will amend the laws, if needed, to initiate action against offenders. Govt will also implement an online system for document verification, according to the home department’s directive.
