Bangladeshi

Arnala

Palghar

MNS

Raj Thackeray

immigrants

"India is not a dharamshala," declares Raj Thackeray at pro-NRC rally in Mumbai 03:44

illegal

22

: 22nationals, including 10 women, who had illegally entered the country at varying times and living at separate locations in and around, were arrested during a crackdown by thepolice early on Wednesday morning.The crackdown assumes special significance in the backdrop of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena () chief's demand for driving out illegalfrom the country, which he made clear while addressing a massive rally on Sunday.Senior Inspector Bhaskar Pukle of the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of the Palghar district police, who led the raid, told Mirror Online that theimmigrants were rounded up during searches at two locations in and around Arnala. While 10 of them are women, 12 are men. They have been booked under provisions of the Passport Act of 1957. They will be produced in a court later this afternoon where police will seek their custody, Pukle said.An officer from the AHTC, who is privy to the investigation of the case, said that the AHTC was tipped off about the presence of the illegal immigrants at Kolamb and Barbhichi Wadi areas. Accordingly, simultaneous raids were conducted at both the places and thepeople were rounded up.Pukle said that the illegal immigrants had crossed the international border and landed up in Arnala at different times. While some of them had come as recently as four months ago, some have been living for more than one and a half years. "None of them have any valid identity or entry (into India) papers. Their entry (into the country) and stay is completely illegal," he said.The immigrants were mostly employed at construction sites, while some of them were into metal scrap business. The women mostly worked as domestic helps in nearby townships, the officer said.The police suspect the illegal immigrants were being trafficked by an organised syndicate. "Their further questioning will reveal the bigger conduits in the trafficking racket," Pukle said.