Around 270 Pakistani nationals staying illegally
Representational image
Hyderabad: The Special Branch and other concerned departments under the Home ministry seem to have lost count of foreign nationals who are illegally staying in the city. Illegal immigrants from Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Burma have become a cause of concern with their involvement in grave offences including terror activities.
A racket led by two Somalian nationals producing fake visas and forged residential permits for several foreign nationals in the city was recently busted. Sources say surveillance by police and enforcement agencies is weak in the city and that offenders, especially from Africa, have chosen Hyderabad as one of their bases in the country.
Police officials meanwhile say that if the Foreigner Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) does not give a report, the police has no standard method to know the number of illegal immigrants in the city. As per Special Branch data, more than 270 Pakistani nationals and more than 20 Bangladeshi nationals are staying in the city legally. As many as 1465 Burmese nationals have also taken shelter in the city as refugees with the United Nation’s approval.
According to the official count of city police, only three Pakistani nationals are overstaying in the city, while the count of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants is zero. More than 200 Burmese nationals are also overstaying in the city.
“The three Pakistani illegal immigrants had applied for extension and we had rejected it. But they have gone to the court seeking extension. So we cannot do anything till the court order comes. The Illegal Burmese nationals too have applied for UN refugee status,” said Mr Y. Nagi Reddy, additional commissioner of police, Special Branch. Whenever police bust foreign nationals involved in drug rackets or cyber crime, most of them are found to be overstaying.
Humayun Nagar police officials, who busted the Somalian racket, say that the gang members had initially confessed that they had given fake visas and residence permits to two other African nationals.
The Special Branch of Hyderabad police usually keeps a count of immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, however, FRRO is responsible for other foreign nationals staying in the city.
Investigation officials had said that the Somalian racket leader Abdi Rahmaan Ibrahim Libaan had been moving between Delhi and Hyderabad freely for more than three years without a visa till he landed in police custody.
Police arrests 25 foreigners:
Nearly 25 foreign nationals have been arrested this year by both Hyderabad and Cyberabad police in connection with different offences. They were mainly involved in cyber crimes, financial frauds, and narcotic cases.
Most of them were repeat offenders, proving that an arrest won’t stop them from committing more offences. Many disappear from the police radar after they get bail, and continue to pursue their old business. Crores looted from the city are smuggled to their native countries in the form of goods.
Among the usual criminals, there was also a terror suspect who was a Myanmar refugee. National Investigation Agency arrested Khaled Mohammed after they found his terror links.
Police officials say majority of the offenders are from different African nationals. They come to India on education or business visas and get involved in different offences in order to earn easy money.
We face prejudice: Africans
There is an increasing prejudice against African nationals in the city due to recent arrests of foreign nationals for different offences. African students, who stay legally with valid visas, often face discrimination and are even subjected to racist slurs from peers and locals. Male students from Africa are stereotyped as dumb or dangerous, while females are branded promiscuous.
“Most people look at us as if we are criminals. They ask me if I sell drugs,” a 23-year- old student from Africa said. “Some even fear to talk to us thinking we are violent. If we meet anybody at a pub or party, they will ask if we have drugs with us. They think everybody from Africa are drug dealers,” says another student from Nizam College. Most of the students say they hear racist slurs from others every day. Words like “blacky” and “negro” are commonly used.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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