Illegal immigration has long plagued the nation, operating through hidden networks that provide shelter, jobs and forged identity documents. In Pune, DCP Krushikesh Rawale, a 2019 batch Officer has led an strategic intelligence driven operation to tackle a sprawling network of illegal immigration, forged identities, forced prostitution and cross-border crime

The investigation centred on three defining questions: Who is living here? How did they arrive? and who is helping them?

"We caught 105 Bangladeshi citizens in airport, residential areas and market areas in 11 months.” he quoted .The achievement is particularly notable as Rawale had set himself an ambitious target of identifying and acting against 100 illegal entrants within a year, a goal he surpassed in just 11 months.

What sets the operation apart is its intelligence gathering approach. Instead of relying solely on routine checks, police teams focused on building a robust network of local informants and cultivating ground level intelligence sources. This helped police map patterns of movement, identify vulnerable locations and uncover links between illegal immigrants and local facilitators.

“This was completely intelligence-based work with cultivated informants.We are also getting cases on local supporters who help them stay here, make fake documents and provide other assistance”

The crackdown gained momentum through a series of targeted operations in Budhwar Peth and other parts of Zone I. On February 11, 2026 a massive midnight operation saw over 600 police personnel search 41 buildings and question roughly 700 individuals. A subsequent “surgical strike” on February 17 detained 22 women, of whom 11 were confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals.

“Operations in areas like Budhwar Peth are not just about raids and arrests. Our focus is on dismantling the networks behind illegal settlements and maintain law and order” He shared “While offenders face strict action, victims and innocent individuals are treated with sensitivity and dignity.Our priority is to keep Pune safe by tackling crime at its roots”

Taking strong action against the entire ecosystem. Police registered cases not just against undocumented immigrants, but against landlords who sheltered them, agents who arranged forged Aadhaar cards, voter IDs and passports and brokers who charged large sums for fraudulent documentation. A key breakthrough came with the discovery of B Cash, a Bangladeshi mobile app used to transfer earnings across the border, exposing a sophisticated cross border financial trail investigators are now actively pursuing.

Of the 105 detained, 66 have already been deported, with 37 more awaiting deportation procedures. With deportation proceedings underway and coordination tightened with the BSF, FRRO and Intelligence Bureau, IPS Rawale's model is practical, humane and intelligence driven setting new benchmarks in the country.