Mumbai steps up deportation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals; Domestic workers detained in Navi Mumbai

Mumbai and Navi Mumbai authorities have intensified action against suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, with deportations rising sharply in 2026. Residents in Kharghar have reported domestic workers being detained along with family members.

NewsBharati    19-Oct-2026 13:42:05 PM
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Action against suspected illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators has intensified across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with residents in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar area reporting the detention of domestic workers and their family members amid ongoing police verification and deportation drives.

Mumbai Bangladeshi
(A representative image, Image Source: ORF)

According to accounts shared by residents, a domestic worker who had been absent for two days reportedly contacted her employer and said that police had detained her entire family, including three children. She told the employer that the family was facing deportation and that she would not return to work.
 
The incident has drawn attention to the impact of immigration enforcement on residential societies that depend heavily on domestic workers. However, the specific detention described by the resident has not been independently verified, and police have not confirmed a mass overnight operation targeting domestic workers in Kharghar.
 
 
Deportations rise in 2026
 
Mumbai police reportedly deported 1,066 Bangladeshi nationals by the end of August 2026, surpassing the 1,061 deportations recorded during the whole of 2025. The figure is also significantly higher than the 164 deportations reported in 2024.
 
The enforcement drive has focused on suspected illegal stay, alleged document fraud and the use of forged identity papers. Police across the region have conducted investigations and verification exercises to identify foreign nationals suspected of residing in India without valid authorisation.
 
Authorities have also emphasised action against individuals found to have obtained identity documents through fraudulent means.
 
 
Verification drives in Navi Mumbai
 
Police have previously conducted verification drives in residential complexes across Navi Mumbai, including Kharghar, where domestic workers have been asked to produce identity and other relevant documents.
 
An earlier operation at Hyde Park society in Kharghar Sector 35 reportedly involved the verification of women employed as domestic helpers. The group was subsequently cleared after document checks, according to accounts of the operation.
 
Maharashtra authorities have directed enforcement agencies to strengthen efforts to identify suspected illegal immigrants, investigate document fraud and initiate deportation proceedings where required.
 
 
Police Action Continues
 
The reported detentions come amid a broader campaign against suspected illegal immigration in Maharashtra. Authorities have encouraged citizens to report suspected cases and have maintained that enforcement will continue against individuals found to be residing illegally.
 
Police have not publicly confirmed the specific allegation of a mass overnight operation targeting domestic workers in Kharghar. The reported incident therefore remains unverified.