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Crackdown on illegal immigrants hits poor families, 160 workers vanish
The drive gathered momentum after direct intervention from chief minister Yogi Adityanath, prompting coordinated inspections by the police, civic authorities, and elected representatives. Residents of several low-income clusters allege that repeated document checks are hitting those already struggling to survive the hardest.
“We are poor, not criminals,” said Nankai, a Bahraich native who has lived in Lucknow for 25 years. “This verification drive for illegal immigrants is important, but people like us get caught in between. We are citizens of UP.” The city’s intensified efforts to identify illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants have left low-income residents anxious amid reports that 160 sanitation workers from a private agency absconded after being asked to submit identification, prompting authorities to step up checks across multiple zones.
The drive gathered momentum after direct intervention from chief minister Yogi Adityanath, prompting coordinated inspections by the police, civic authorities, and elected representatives. Residents of several low-income clusters allege that repeated document checks are hitting those already struggling to survive the hardest.
On Monday, Hindustan Times visited a settlement near Ballu Adda, where nearly 150 families comprising rickshaw pullers, construction workers, and sanitation helpers said repeated document verifications are putting undue pressure on genuine residents. Laxmi, whose husband drives a rented e-rickshaw, said, “Most of us work all day just to eat, yet we must constantly prove ourselves.”
Kumkum, a native of Lucknow, said frequent waterlogging forces residents to store Aadhaar and ration cards with local operators, which officials sometimes interpret as hiding documents. She denied the presence of illegal immigrants in her settlement but pointed to suspicious activity near Haider Canal, where garbage-picking operations were observed.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said the Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s (LMC) role is limited to collecting documents from private sanitation agencies. “Identifying illegal Bangladeshi or Rohingya nationals is the responsibility of police and intelligence agencies,” he said. The mayor, Sushma Kharkwal, had initiated the drive following complaints from multiple areas, and private agencies were instructed to submit identification details of all workers.
160 sanitation workers abscond amid verification
The verification drive faced a setback when 160 workers from Assam and West Bengal employed by Lucknow Swachhta Abhiyan (LSA) reportedly absconded after being asked to provide identification. Abhay Ranjan, LSA’s regional head, said the agency employs around 3,500 workers across five zones. “Out of 1,400 workers from Assam and Bengal, 160 went missing during the recent verification check. Documents for the remaining staff have been submitted,” he said.
Aadhaar details of 2,100 workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have already been verified and shared with the LMC. The list of missing workers has been handed to authorities for further investigation.
Lions Enviro, another private sanitation agency operating in three zones, confirmed full verification of all its staff. “Every worker’s identity has been verified,” said project head Dileep Yadav.
Meanwhile, Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant clarified in a conversation with HT that the ongoing drive targets only illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants living in the state capital. He added that no other poor or genuine resident would be affected if their documents prove they are Indian citizens.
However, multiple calls to Lucknow police commissioner Amarendra Singh Sengar went unanswered.
