Karnataka saw most cases against foreigners in South India last year

BENGALURU: Karnataka accounted for the highest number of criminal cases involving foreign nationals among South Indian states, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. The state, however, stood third nationally, after West Bengal and Delhi.

According to the Crime in India-2021 report that has been published by NCRB, 229 cases were booked in the state against foreign nationals in 2021. There were 344 cases in 2020 and 167 in 2019.
The state has seen foreigners committing 740 crimes in the past three years, whereas Tamil Nadu reported 247 cases, Telangana 121, Kerala 77 and Andhra Pradesh 15.
West Bengal reported 1,287 cases and Delhi 322 in 2021. A total of 2,585 cases were booked against foreign nationals in the country last year.
A review of the crimes showed that a majority of cases pertained to overstaying, drug peddling, cheating, theft, rape and forgery. ADGP Alok Kumar said cops are concentrating more on illegal immigrants and drug peddlers from other countries living in the state. "Karnataka tops the chart of cases against foreign nationals among South Indian states because of our proactive policing," he said.
Meanwhile, data from 2019 to 2021 shows that a total of 7,174 criminal cases were registered across the country against foreign nationals. However, 2019 witnessed more cases (2,652) compared to 2020 (1,937) and 2021 (2,585).
Incidentally, South India accounted for 1,201 of the 7,174 criminal cases involving foreigners reported in the country in the past three years.
Police sources said though West Bengal is not India's topmost tourist destination, it still manages to be on top when it comes to crimes committed by foreigners. This is mainly due to infiltration across borders with Bangladesh and illegal immigrants committing petty crimes for sustenance. These immigrants also resort to human trafficking and cross-border smuggling. Several Bangladeshi men were arrested by Bengaluru police earlier this year for gang-raping a fellow national they had trafficked and pushed into flesh trade.
- Khushi Agarwal and Navya Aggarwal