31 Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Bengaluru brought to West Bengal’s Malda for deportation

A team of 31 Bangladeshi nationals recently arrested in Bengaluru during a police crackdown was brought to Malda district in West Bengal police said on WednesdayThe detainees have been temporarily lodged at a holding centre in Malda which borders Bangladesh Authorities have initiated the legal process for their return to Bangladesh after which they are expected to be handed over to the Border Security Force BSF for the pushback processKarnataka Police arrested 31 BangladeshisAccording to sources the Karnataka Police arrested the 31 Bangladeshi nationals who allegedly did not possess valid documents to establish their legal status in IndiaPolice sources said they had allegedly entered India illegally through the international border with Bangladesh in West Bengal before travelling to Bengaluru in search of employmentThe Bangladeshi nationals were reportedly arrested around three months ago and were subsequently kept at a detention facility in Bengaluru A team of Karnataka Police personnel brought them to Malda after completing the necessary procedures for their transfer to the border districtDetainees brought to Malda under securityAn officer of the Malda district police said the Karnataka Police team arrived at Malda Town station late on Tuesday night with the 31 detaineesThey were subsequently handed over to the West Bengal Police who transported them by bus to a holding centre in the districtThe 31 Bangladeshis were transported from Bengaluru to Malda by train under special surveillance A team of 20 Karnataka Police personnel accompanied them during the journey31 arrested during Operation MuktThe arrests followed a special drive conducted by the Karnataka Police to identify suspected illegal immigrants The operation named Operation Mukt was carried out on August 9During the drive documents of 2944 people were verified Police identified 105 Bangladeshi nationals as suspected illegal immigrants of whom 31 were arrested in BengaluruDeportation process initiatedOfficials said the process of sending the 31 detainees back to Bangladesh had already begun Once the required formalities are completed the group will be handed over to the BSF which guards Indias international border with Bangladesh for further actionCentre Bengal step up action against infiltrationUnion Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly called for stringent measures against illegal infiltration and stressed the need to identify and deport those who have entered India without valid documentsFollowing the Bharatiya Janata Partys victory in West Bengal in May state authorities stepped up surveillance and action against suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants Holding centres have also been established in several border areas to temporarily accommodate detaineesChief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has maintained a zero tolerance position on infiltration with authorities continuing efforts to identify and take action against suspected infiltratorsWith IANS inputs