The Coimbatore Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) have arrested 31 Bangladeshi nationals for illegally staying in Tirupur. Acting on a tip-off, several ATS teams led by Superintendent of Police V Badrinarayanan on Saturday conducted searches in rented rooms in various parts of the district where migrant workers have been residing.
Following the searches, 28 were arrested from Rural Palladam area and others from Veerapandi and Nallur in Tirupur city. All of them were working in textile units in Tirupur for the last few months disguised as labourers from West Bengal.
Last week., as many as seven Bangladeshi nationals who were working at factories here have been detained for questioning as they did not have passport/visa, police said. According to the police, workers from northern parts of India along with their families were working in factories in Perundurai.
The police, along with central agency sleuths, conducted surprise raids at Veppampalayam, Vallipurathanpalayam, Perundurai and other places located within Perundurai taluk on Saturday night. They found seven Bangladeshi nationals working in factories without having passport or visa.
They were handed over to Perundurai police, who are interrogating them to find out whether they were involved in any criminal activities in and around the area.
The detention of such Bangladeshi nationals continues in Tamil Nadu. Even last year, a number of them were detained in Erode and nearby places for not having a passport or visa.