450 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants identified so far in Gujarat
Police said total around 6,500 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained and questioned.
Around 450 Bangladeshi nationals have been found to be residing illegally in Gujarat so far after police launched a crackdown and detained nearly 6,500 undocumented people who are suspected to be citizens of the neighbouring country, DGP Vikas Sahay said on Monday.
Director General of Police (DGP) Sahay said following mega search operations in Ahmedabad and Surat, similar exercises were undertaken across the state, with a total around 6,500 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants detained and their identities being verified.
"After mega search operations were carried out in Ahmedabad and Surat, all districts and police commissionerates of Gujarat were asked to undertake the task (of identifying Bangladeshi nationals). As per information available with me, we have detained around 6,500 suspected Bangladeshi citizens and questioned them," he informed.
"So far, around 450 Bangladeshi citizens have been established to be living illegally here (in Gujarat) on the basis of documentary proof. Interrogation of the rest of the detainees is going on. We feel we will be able to establish the identity of a large number of illegal Bangladeshis," the IPS officer maintained.
Once their identity as Bangladeshi nationals is established, steps will be taken for their deportation in coordination with various departments of the central government and the Border Security Force (BSF), he added.
Over 1,000 suspected Bangladeshis, detained in Ahmedabad and Surat after mega search operations were carried out in these two cities, were being questioned. Documentary and technological evidences are being collected to establish their national identity before steps are undertaken for their deportation, Sahay said.
The Gujarat government on Saturday claimed it launched its "biggest-ever operation against illegal Bangladeshi residents in the state" and in just one night detained 890 and 134 "illegal" immigrants from the neighbouring country in Ahmedabad and Surat, respectively.
Following the crackdown, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi held a video conference with senior police officials and instructed them "to intensify the operation and thoroughly investigate all activities of Bangladeshis and take strict action wherever needed," the government had said in a statement.
Sanghavi asked illegal Bangladeshi immigrants "to voluntarily surrender at police stations within two days or else face strict action".
