Shinde orders crackdown, deportations of illegal Bangladeshis in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that he has ordered a crackdown and deportations of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from MaharashtraHe said that he instructed authorities to identify and deport Bangladeshis living illegally in Mumbai and other parts of the state reported PTIShinde gave the directive during the Mumbai District Planning and Development Committee DPDC meeting a day after the newly elected BJP mayor announced that removing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants encroaching on city roads would be a key priorityShinde who is the guardian minister of Mumbai district said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had taken the issue seriouslyBangladeshis who have infiltrated and are staying illegally should be identified The district collectorate and police have been asked to carry this out If they have been issued Aadhaar cards or other documents they should be cancelled he told PTIThe issue was raised by Shiv Sena leader and Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Manisha Kayande at the DPDC meeting chaired by the Deputy CMQuestion raised on illegal Bangladeshis accessing government schemesAadhaar cards and other documents of Bangladeshis staying illegally in the country must be cancelled she said questioning how such persons could benefit from government schemes reported PTILocal Congress MLA Amin Patel told reporters that he cited government data at the meeting stating that 1060 Bangladeshi nationals were deported in 2025 and asserted that hawkers should not be harassed under the pretext of action against illegal immigrantsWe believe that every illegal immigrant living in Mumbai or Maharashtra should be sent back to their respective country But in the name of action against illegal immigration civic authorities should not harass hawkers Patel said reported PTI He also added that Kayande should question her own partys government over the issueUpon her election as Mumbai mayor on Wednesday BJP leader Ritu Tawde had said that Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya had encroached on the citys footpaths and clearing these encroachments would be among her prioritiesPolice nab four Bangladeshi citizens living illegally in Mumbairsquos Malad EastLast week the Kurar Police detained a Bangladeshi national after receiving confidential inputs about his movement within the Malad East areaAccording to police sources on February 2 5 and 6 Officer Rafiq Mujawar attached to Kurar police station along with the AntiTerror Cell ATC team while patrolling within the limits of Kurar Police Station received information about illegal Bangladeshi nationals from a reliable informant The information said that a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India would be visiting areas such as Humera Park Garden Tuba Hotel and Sahil Hotel in Pathanwadi Kurargaon Malad EastActing swiftly the police team laid a trap at the identified locations and successfully apprehended the suspect without giving him an opportunity to flee He was taken into custody and brought to the Kurar Police Station for further interrogationWith PTI inputs