Bengaluru: The massive detention centre built by the Karnataka Government for illegal immigrants got its first inmate today – a Sudanese national whose visa expired in 2016 and was over-staying.

The centre is located in Nelamangala, about 40 km from Bengaluru, and is the first detention centre to be opened in the state. It has a capacity of detaining 30-40 people.

The Social Welfare Department of the government will manage the detention centre and security will be provided by Bengaluru Rural police, according to an RTI application made by an online news channel.

“There is no prison-like schedule and those detained here can move freely within the facility. They can contact friends and relatives with permission. There is a connectivity issue at the moment but it will be solved when resources like computers, internet access and telephone are added in due course of time,” an official connected to the detention centre was quoted by the online news channel.

Those detained will be put in this centre until they are deported. “A detention centre helps instil fear in those illegally staying here (in India). It will partially affect their freedom since they cannot move out but they are free inside the centre,” the official was quoted.

There is no clarity if the centre will house illegal immigrants from Bangladesh too.

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