Pramesh S Jain
The city police on Thursday launched a special drive to identify Foreign nationals allegedly residing illegally within Bengaluru limits,questioning over 2,000 individuals in a single day as part of the operation.
The verification exercise is being carried out under the directions of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh.
Police teams from various divisions have been deployed across different parts of the city to verify visa status, FRRO registration and other relevant documents of foreign nationals.
Senior officer told reporters that more than 2,000 foreign nationals were examined on Wednesday alone.A significant number were found either without valid documentation or overstaying their visas.
Officials said information had been received about some migrants from Nigeria and Bangladesh allegedly residing in the city without proper authorization.Legal action is being initiated against those found violating immigration norms.
Authorities are compiling detailed data,including the country of origin,date of entry into India,purpose of visit, visa and passport validity,and details of local contacts or sponsors.
The drive is aimed at ensuring law and order and maintaining proper documentation of foreign residents in the city.
Police indicated that assistance from central agencies would be sought if required.
Previous Crackdowns
In January 2026,police conducted raids in the Electronics City and Hebbagodi areas,during which over 26 Bangladeshi nationals were detained for illegal stay.
They were allegedly working in scrap yards using forged Aadhaar cards and other identity documents.
In November 2025,the CCB police arrested 14 foreign nationals in a separate operation and seized narcotic substances worth Rs.7.7 crore from them.
Among those arrested was a Nigerian woman who had allegedly overstayed her visa and was reportedly involved in drug trafficking.
Drive launched to verify foreign nationals in Bengaluru
Under the guidance of the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City,a special drive is being conducted across all police station limits to verify the credentials of foreign nationals residing in the city.
All Deputy Commissioners of Police and station-level personnel have been deployed for the exercise.Teams are systematically verifying visa status,FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) registration, and other relevant documents through live monitoring and field-level inspections to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the public.
House owners have been mandated to furnish details of foreign nationals staying on their premises,including valid visa and FRRO information,to their jurisdictional police stations.
Officials said foreign nationals found overstaying their visas or residing without proper documentation are being identified,and legal action is being initiated against them.
Deportation proceedings will also be undertaken wherever necessary.Authorities are additionally verifying the background of foreign nationals suspected to be involved in illegal activities.
Police stated that the drive is aimed at maintaining law and order in the city and sought cooperation from citizens.Residents and property owners have been urged to share information regarding any suspicious foreign nationals with the nearest police station.The operation will continue in the coming days,officials said.
