Published Aug 21, 2026 | 4:34 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 21, 2026 | 4:34 PM
In Bengaluru Urban, 446 foreign nationals were found to have overstayed beyond the permitted period. (iStock)
Synopsis: Karnataka has identified 911 illegal immigrants over the past three years, including 868 Bangladeshi nationals. As many as 365 foreign nationals, identified as illegal immigrants, have crime links, according to data tabled in the Legislative Council.
Karnataka has identified 911 illegal immigrants in the state over the past three years, with Bangladeshi nationals accounting for more than 95%, according to information placed before the state Legislative Council.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge disclosed the figures in a written reply to a question raised by MLC HS Gopinath on Thursday, 20 August.
Of the 911 illegal immigrants identified, 868 were Bangladeshi nationals. They were followed by 20 Pakistani nationals, 13 Nigerians, eight Sri Lankans and one each from Myanmar and Uganda.
The government, however, said the exact figure for the total number of illegal immigrants in all districts was not available.
In Bengaluru Urban, authorities identified 5,304 foreign nationals holding valid visas, while another 446 were found to have overstayed their permitted period. No foreign national with an expired passport was found residing in the district, according to the reply.
Police have been verifying foreign nationals to identify those staying without valid documents or remaining in the country beyond the period permitted under their visas.
The verification is conducted using the District Police Module (DIP) and the Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP), after which cases requiring further action are referred to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and other concerned authorities.
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People with crime links
The data also showed that 365 foreign nationals identified as illegal immigrants were linked to registered criminal cases. Nigerians constituted the largest group in this category at 135, followed by Bangladeshis at 48 and Nepalis at 44.
The remaining cases involved nationals from several countries, including Myanmar, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Ghana, Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Gambia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the United States, Cameroon and Indonesia, among others.
The figures come amid a series of police operations targeting suspected illegal immigrants, particularly Bangladeshi nationals, across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
On 8 August, Bengaluru police launched a citywide verification drive called ‘Operation Mukta’, carrying out checks in areas including Whitefield and Electronic City. In the Electronic City division alone, 23 police teams verified 1,909 people across 29 locations.
Bangladeshi nationals found to be staying without valid documents were referred to the FRRO for further proceedings.
In a similar operation in March, Bengaluru police detained 124 Bangladeshi nationals allegedly residing illegally in areas under the Kadugodi and Varthur police station limits and referred their cases to the FRRO for further legal action.
The crackdown has also extended beyond Bengaluru. In July, Mangaluru police identified 19 alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and arrested three men.
The Home Department has instructed intelligence and crime personnel at the police-station level to keep track of the movement of foreign nationals suspected of residing illegally in Karnataka.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
