Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) In a joint operation conducted by the police and the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) in Mumbai’s Vakola area, two Ugandan women have been taken into custody for allegedly residing in India without valid documentation.

The arrested women have been identified as Nakayondo Rose (37) and Kemigisa Proscovia (26).

According to police officials, both women had been living in Mumbai’s Kalina area for the past several years. However, they neither possessed valid visas nor the necessary legal documents required to stay in the country. Acting on specific intelligence inputs indicating that the duo had been residing in India for an extended period without authorisation, the police carried out a targeted raid.

During the operation, both women were detained, and subsequent interrogation revealed that they had continued to stay in India even after the expiry of their permitted duration. Following this, the police initiated legal proceedings against them under the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

Officials further stated that the deportation process for both individuals has been set in motion. Authorities are currently coordinating with the relevant government departments as well as the concerned embassy to complete the necessary formalities.

The action forms part of a broader nationwide effort by Indian authorities to identify and deport foreign nationals residing illegally in the country. Law enforcement agencies have intensified surveillance, verification drives, and intelligence-gathering operations to curb such violations.

Earlier, on March 6, five Nigerian nationals found to be staying illegally in India were deported, officials said. The move was part of an ongoing crackdown led by Delhi Police in the national capital. According to officials, teams from various police stations and specialised units regularly collect intelligence on foreign nationals suspected of residing or moving within the city without valid documentation.

Police authorities have emphasised that illegal overstaying places additional pressure on local resources and infrastructure, prompting stricter enforcement of immigration laws. In February alone, five Nigerian nationals were apprehended for overstaying without valid visas.

In a similar operation on February 26, six Bangladeshi nationals were deported from Goa after being found living without valid travel or immigration documents. The deportation was carried out through a coordinated effort between the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Goa, and the Border Security Force (BSF).

Officials confirmed that due procedures were followed, with an escort team from FRRO Goa handing over the individuals to the BSF, which subsequently facilitated their deportation to Bangladesh.

Additionally, on February 25, Versova Police in Mumbai conducted a major operation against illegal immigration, arresting 25 Bangladeshi nationals from the Andheri West Yari Road area. Among those detained were 21 transgender persons, two women, and two men. Authorities have initiated the process to deport all individuals.

Police investigations revealed that many of these individuals had entered India illegally several years ago, often via Kolkata, before travelling through Delhi and Gujarat to Mumbai.

–IANS

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