Thane: Six Bangladeshi Women Held in Bhiwandi for Illegal Entry into India

In a crackdown on illegal immigration, six Bangladeshi women were arrested from Hanuman Tekdi in Bhiwandi, Thane district, for entering India without valid documentation.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Crime Branch, led by Police Inspector Chetana Chaudhary, received intelligence about the presence of Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the Hanuman Tekdi area. The information revealed that these women had crossed the India-Bangladesh border clandestinely and were residing in the locality without any official papers.

Following the tip-off, Inspector Chaudhary, in collaboration with Senior  Police Inspector Janardhan Sonawane of Crime Branch Unit-2, Bhiwandi, formed a special team to investigate. Acting swiftly, the team conducted a raid on December 9, 2024, at 1:45 PM in Hanuman Tekdi, Bombay Chawl, Lane Numbers 1 and 2. The operation resulted in the detention of six Bangladeshi women.

Investigations revealed that the accused had crossed the border illegally and were living on rent in Bhiwandi, within the jurisdiction of the Thane Police Commissionerate. The women were arrested under sections 3 and 4 of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, and sections 13 and 14(a)(b) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

Additionally, the landlord who rented out the property to the women was charged under Section 7 of the Foreigners Act, 1946, for knowingly harboring illegal immigrants.

This successful operation was carried out under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amar Singh Jadhav and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Prevention) Dhanaji Kshirsagar. The efforts of Inspector Chetana Chaudhary, Inspector Janardhan Sonawane, and their respective teams were instrumental in apprehending the accused.

Further investigation into the case is ongoing to identify potential accomplices and networks facilitating such illegal activities.