Mumbai Police on Saturday, 6 June arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals — allegedly residing in India without valid documents for nearly 15 years — in a targeted operation conducted by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Police in Andheri, Mumbai. The arrests mark the latest action under an intensified statewide crackdown on undocumented foreign nationals in Maharashtra.

How the Operation Unfolded

The MIDC Police Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) received specific intelligence inputs indicating that a group of undocumented foreign nationals would be present in the Andheri area seeking employment. Acting on the tip-off, officers laid a trap and intercepted the seven suspects. The arrested group comprises four men, two women, and one minor boy, according to officials.

Preliminary questioning revealed that the accused had allegedly crossed into India unlawfully and had been living in Mumbai for approximately one-and-a-half decades while evading detection. Investigators also found that the group had maintained regular contact with relatives and associates in Bangladesh through telephone communication.

Scope of the Investigation

Authorities have launched a detailed probe into the backgrounds, movements, and contacts of those detained. Police officials said enquiries are underway to identify individuals who may have assisted the group in entering India, securing accommodation, or obtaining employment over the years. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.

Pattern of Arrests in Maharashtra

The 6 June arrests are part of a broader, intelligence-driven campaign by Maharashtra Police against undocumented Bangladeshi nationals allegedly residing across multiple cities in the state. In February, the Versova Police in Mumbai conducted a major sweep in the Yari Road area of Andheri West, arresting 25 Bangladeshi nationals — including 21 transgender persons, two women, and two men — for allegedly staying in India without legal authorisation. Police subsequently initiated deportation proceedings for those individuals.

Investigators in the February case alleged that the accused had entered India illegally several years earlier, first crossing into Kolkata before travelling through Delhi and Gujarat and eventually settling in Mumbai. Officers recovered a large number of Indian and Bangladeshi documents from those arrested, which were seized and examined as part of a wider inquiry into alleged document fraud and illegal immigration networks.

Wider Context

Law enforcement agencies across Maharashtra have been conducting a series of verification drives and intelligence-based operations aimed at identifying undocumented foreign nationals. Authorities say they are working to uncover the full extent of networks allegedly facilitating illegal entry, fraudulent identity documents, and long-term settlement — a pattern that, according to officials, has persisted in Mumbai and other urban centres for years. The latest arrests signal that such operations are likely to continue and intensify in the coming months.