Bengaluru, Aug 8: Bengaluru police have launched a special drive, ‘Operation Mukta’ on Saturday, to identify and track illegal immigrants allegedly residing in different parts of the city, with raids and verification exercises being conducted across several localities, officials said.

As part of the drive, police teams have conducted searches and document verification in Whitefield, Kadugodi, Mahadevapura and other areas. The three localities are part of Bengaluru’s major technology corridors and are home to several multinational IT and biotechnology companies.

Sydulla Adavat, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Whitefield division, said the special drive was launched across the city on the directions of the Bengaluru Police Commissioner.

“As per the orders of the Police Commissioner, Bengaluru, the special drive has been taken up across the city, including the Whitefield DCP division. More than 500 police personnel and officers are involved in the exercise. The drive will continue,” he said.

According to the DCP, police teams have already tracked several suspected illegal immigrants, and some have been deported to their respective countries following due legal process.

“Verification is being conducted at more than 30 locations falling under various police station limits in the Whitefield division. If anyone is found suspicious, we will verify their documents. If we find identity cards of another country or any other clues indicating that they are foreign nationals residing here without authorisation, the matter will be brought to the notice of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO),” Adavat said.

He added that once deportation orders are obtained from the competent authorities, further legal action would be initiated and the illegal immigrants would be sent back to their respective countries.

As part of the exercise, police are checking identity and other documents of people suspected to be residing in the city without valid authorisation. Police sources said the focus is particularly on suspected Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas.

The police are also verifying Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards of suspected persons, as officials suspect that some foreign nationals may have obtained Indian identity documents through the assistance of local handlers.

Police sources said more than 50 persons have been tracked during the ongoing exercise, while the identities of four Bangladeshi nationals have been established. Those without proper documents are being subjected to further verification.

The police have also turned their attention to temporary sheds and other makeshift accommodation rented out to migrant workers.

DCP Adavat said some local residents allegedly construct sheds and rent them out to construction workers who come to Bengaluru from other states and districts. Police suspect that some unauthorised foreign nationals may also be residing in such premises along with migrant workers.

“We will initiate action against those facilitating such unauthorised stay,” the DCP said.

The police said the verification drive will continue across the city and that further action will be taken based on the documents and evidence gathered during the exercise.

Srinagar, Aug 8: The Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday raided multiple locations in the Valley in connection with an already registered FIR over online glorification of terrorism.

Officials said that CIK Kashmir on Saturday morning carried out raids at multiple locations across the Kashmir Valley in connection with a terror-related case involving the online glorification of terrorism and recruitment of individuals into terrorist ranks.

Officials said searches are being carried out in Baramulla, Shopian, Anantnag, Kupwara, Bandipora and other districts.

“Today’s raids are linked to FIR No. 03/2023, registered at Police Station CIK Srinagar under Sections 505 and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

“The case pertains to misuse of online platforms to glorify terrorism and influence individuals to join terrorist organisations”, officials said.

CIK is a specialised branch of the Jammu & Kashmir Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) focussed on tracking, investigating, and dismantling terror networks, terror financing, and anti-national activities within the Kashmir Valley.

The core functions of CIK are focussed on unearthing covert recruitment modules, white-collar terror operations, and cross-border handler networks.

The duties of CIK also include intercepting technical signatures, crackdown on the misuse of encrypted messaging apps, and targeting cyber-fraud networks tied to terror funding.

The raids of CIK are backed by court warrants to seize incriminating digital evidence and communication hardware.

As part of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is the principal Intelligence wing of the Jammu & Kashmir Police, entrusted with safeguarding the security of the Union Territory, CIK plays a crucial role in the department.

The duties of CID include collecting, analysing, and sharing Intelligence to support policy decisions, strengthen law enforcement, and ensure effective governance. Headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General, the CID operates through its Special Branch (SB) and Counter Intelligence (CI) units across Jammu and Kashmir.

The Special Branch gathers and assesses Intelligence on political and other sensitive matters, while the Counter Intelligence wing focusses on counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, espionage, smuggling of contraband, and cross-border activities.

Together, these units help maintain public order and protect national security. Beyond Intelligence functions, the CID carries out various statutory and administrative verifications, including those related to service matters, passports, visas, NRIs, migration and threat assessments.

New Delhi, Aug 8: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday responded to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remarks on the women’s quota Bill, stating that the legislation was unanimously passed in 2023 with the “full support of Congress” and accused the government of “unnecessarily” linking it to delimitation.

Taking to X, LoP Gandhi said, “Mr Rijiju, who would know better than you, as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs — that the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 has already been passed unanimously, with the full support of the Congress.”

“The question is, why has it still not been implemented even after three years, and why do you now want to unnecessarily link it to delimitation? Implement the 2023 law. Without any conditions,” LoP Gandhi added.

This came as Rijiju responded to LoP Gandhi’s remarks on women, saying that the Congress party should now have no difficulty in supporting the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament.

This came as LoP Gandhi made the comments in an Instagram post on Friday, expanding on his response during his “Ask Me Anything” session on Thursday, where he spoke about the need to ensure greater freedom and space for women in Indian society.

LoP Gandhi said that no country can achieve true progress or fulfil its potential if women are not able to express themselves freely, stressing the need to bring women’s voices back into public discourse and create an environment where they can pursue what they want.

He further argued that the inability of women to express themselves has a wider impact on the country’s development and progress.

LoP Gandhi stressed that women’s empowerment should not be restricted to their participation in business or politics, but should extend to their everyday lives, including their homes, families and public spaces.

He explained that women should also have the freedom to express opinions that may differ from those of people around them and to question established norms within their families and society.

Responding to LoP Gandhi’s remarks, Rijiju described them as a potentially positive indication of a change in the Congress party’s approach towards women’s political representation.

“This seems to be a positive message from the Congress Party. There’s a visible change of heart in Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji about the women. Now, I hope Congress Party will support the Women’s Reservation Bill unconditionally,” Rijiju said.

The exchange comes amid the continuing political debate over women’s representation in India’s legislative institutions and the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

The Women’s Reservation Bill, officially enacted as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 (also known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), is a landmark law in India that reserves 33 per cent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament), state legislative assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in April 2026 to fast-track the 33 per cent women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by using the 2011 Census for early delimitation. However, the bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha after falling short of the required two-thirds majority.