It is reported that around 10,000 Bangladesh nationals are living in various parts of Kerala with fake documents under the guise of migrant workers from West Bengal.
A Malayalam media has reported that a deep-rooted mafia operates through a Bengaluru-centric network that manufactures authentic-looking forged documents with Kerala addresses. The activities of this large mafia came to light when the police arrested 10 Bangladeshis from Kottarakkara in Kollam district the other day. They were found carrying Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, voter ID cards, and even ration cards bearing Kerala addresses. Preliminary investigations indicate that counterfeit identity documents resembling genuine ones can be obtained for as little as Rs 700.
According to investigators, many of them first enter India through the Bangladesh border and reach places such as Murshidabad in West Bengal. After obtaining initial forged documents, they move to various parts of the country. Many reportedly choose Kerala because of better employment opportunities. Arriving under the label of migrant workers from West Bengal, they later use local addresses to assume Indian identities.
The police have received indications that a large mafia group based in Bengaluru is behind the forgery. It is difficult to detect that the documents provided for as little as Rs 700 are fake. Those arrested in Kottarakkara have been living in Kerala for years. When their mobile phones were checked, investigating officers were able to confirm that they were Bangladeshi nationals after finding copies of Bangladeshi passports.
Authorities have also found evidence of a chain migration pattern, where those who arrived in Kerala years ago brought relatives into the state. One such case involves a Bangladeshi woman, Mugal Khatoon, who arrived in Kerala through West Bengal 13 years ago and allegedly obtained all Indian identity documents under the name “Mamdas.” She later brought several relatives to Kerala. Reports indicate that two months before her arrest, she had travelled back to Bangladesh with two children using a Bangladeshi passport.
The Central Intelligence Agency and the State Intelligence Bureau assess that this situation poses a very serious security threat. It is essential to find out whether people with criminal backgrounds or those involved in anti-national activities are staying in Kerala using such fake documents. While subtle linguistic differences can help distinguish genuine workers from West Bengal and Bangladeshi nationals, many people are reportedly reluctant to share information due to fear.
There are also reports that many Bangladeshis are preparing to return from different parts of the state as the investigation has intensified. The number of migrant workers has started to decrease in many places across the state. This is not only due to the non-return of those who went to West Bengal to vote, but also due to the checking of documents of migrant workers across the state.
The Kerala Police and central intelligence units have intensified scrutiny on migrant worker registrations and biometric identification systems across the state to find infiltrators from Bangladesh.