23 Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested by ATS & Maharashtra Police

Police sources told The Quint that the arrested individuals were “illegal immigrants”.

Police arrest 23 Bangladeshi nationals in Virar, Palghar district. Image used for representation only.

(Photo: PTI)

In a joint operation by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the state anti-human trafficking unit, 23 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested from Virar in Mumbai’s neighbouring Palghar district.

Police sources told The Quint that the arrested individuals were allegedly illegal immigrants. The arrests took place on the morning of 12 February. Initial formalities are being performed by the cops in the case.

The arrests took place at different locations around Arnala and further probe was being conducted by Arnala police in the matter. All the alleged Bangladeshi nationals had crossed the international border and settled at Arnala at different times, reported Mumbai Mirror.

These arrests come just days after MNS chief Raj Thackeray held a massive rally in Mumbai in support of CAA and demanded eviction of illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi ‘infiltrators’ from India.

“..Do these people (illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh) consider my county a ‘dharmashala’ (shelter home)?” 

Raj Thackeray, MNS Chief

In his speech on 9 February, Thackeray had appealed to the central government to give a "free hand to the police for 48 hours to evict infiltrators from Mumbai, as it is useless to ask the state government".

“The issue of infiltrators is as important as that of drinking water, education and health. Pakistani and Bangaladeshi infiltrators should be thrown out from the country, and there shouldn’t be any compromise on the issue,”

Raj Thackeray, MNS Chief

Lashing out at anti-CAA protesters at Azad Maidan, Raj Thackeray had said, "Today, anti-CAA and anti-NRC protests were given a befitting reply with this protest rally of the MNS. But let me warn you, next time morchas will be answered with morchas. And if you continue with your drama, stones will be answered with stones and swords with swords".

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier reportedly scrapped the Fadnavis government’s decision to build a detention centre for illegal immigrants in Navi Mumbai’s Nerul area.