US, UK citizens staying illegally pose threat to India

MUMBAI: That many Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are staying illegally in India is known to most of us. What many might not be aware of is that there are a number of nationals from First World countries as well who have overstayed their welcome here, for various reasons.

For years, security agencies ignored citizens from developed countries staying here illegally but that is changing. The arrest and interrogation of David Headley, an American national-turned-LeT jihadi, has put the spotlight on the grave threat to India’s national security from outsiders, over the past few years, various police agencies have booked foreigners from more than 45 countries living illegally in India.

Information compiled by the Union home ministry shows that in 2008, 65,149 foreign nationals were found living in India even after their visas expired. The same year, 13,995 foreigners had to be deported.

What comes as a big surprise is that a few thousand citizens from several First World countries like the US, UK, New Zealand, Germany and even Japan and South Korea are living illegally in India. The list also included 479 Chinese.

We may make heavy weather of the presence of illegal migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh but not many of us are aware that there are a number of nationals from developed countries as well who overstay here.

‘‘Not all of them may be as innocent as it seems. It is not enough to say that they stayed on with friends or relatives, lost track of time exploring India or overstayed a work permit; these are the usual excuses,’’ said a police officer.

‘‘Headley has redefined the meaning of India’s threat perception,’’ said an intelligence officer who spoke to TOI on condition of anonymity.

He said that for long, citizens of friendly or developed countries were not on the radar of security agencies. ‘‘It is because of this that terror groups are increasingly turning to recruits from these groups to carry out their work. This was shown in the case of Headley in Mumbai and in America where the failed Times Square bomb attack was carried out by their own naturalized citizen,’’ he explained.