High Alert in Bengaluru: Are Sleeper Cells Lurking in Plain Sight?

In the aftermath of the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam-which claimed the lives of 26 tourists and injured several others, marking it as one of the deadliest strikes since Pulwama 2019, Karnataka has moved swiftly to shore up its internal security against potential sleeper cells and illegal immigrants from Pakistan.

Following the Centre's directive barring Pakistani nationals from entering India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara made it clear that the state government is leaving no stone unturned in identifying and deporting those without valid documents.'

Tightening the Noose on Illegal Residents

After New Delhi moved to suspend SVES benefits for Pakistani passport-holders, Parameshwara pledged a thorough crackdown on anyone lacking proper documentation. Speaking to ANI, he said,"We're working hand-in-glove with central intelligence agencies. Any Pakistani national discovered living illegally in Karnataka-particularly in Bengaluru-will be located, detained, and turned over to their High Commission for deportation."

To carry out this mandate, the state police have launched dedicated verification teams in neighbourhoods with dense clusters of lodges, guesthouses and informal settlements. Additionally, CBI and IB officers have been stationed inside local police stations citywide, poised to act the moment they receive any information about potential sleeper-cell operations.

Scope of Pakistani Presence in Bengaluru

During a recent Legislative Assembly session, Parameshwara revealed that Karnataka has identified and arrested a total of 137 illegal immigrants across the state, of whom 25 are Pakistani nationals. Bengaluru city alone accounts for 84 of these detentions, highlighting the metropolis as the primary hub for undocumented residents from Pakistan

Sleeper Cells: Evidence of Underground Networks

Bengaluru's history of terror-Church Street (2014), Chinnaswamy Stadium (2010)-has long been tied to across-border networks. In late 2024, an Intelligence Bureau tip-off led to a raid in the Jigani industrial belt on Bengaluru's outskirts, resulting in the arrest of a Pakistani national and three others who had been living illegally on forged documents. Preliminary investigations revealed ties to a larger clandestine network that facilitated fake passports and identity manipulation. Investigators warn that such cells lie dormant for months or years, blending into the city's cosmopolitan milieu until activated.

As Karnataka tightens its net, the real test will be whether these measures can unearth hidden cells without stoking communal tensions-and whether Bengaluru can remain both India's innovation hub and a fortress against subterranean threats.