In a recent effort to address the issue of illegal immigration, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s (L-G) Secretariat has launched a crackdown on undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh. As part of this operation, two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in the Hazrat Nizamuddin area for overstaying without valid documents, police confirmed on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast Delhi), Ravi Kumar Singh, revealed that the arrested individuals, identified as Abdul Ahad (22) and Mohammad Azizul (32), were apprehended on December 10 and 12, respectively. Both men were found to have been living in India without legal authorization and have been handed over to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for deportation proceedings.

Ongoing Verification Drive
DCP Singh shared that 916 individuals in Southeast Delhi have been verified during the crackdown so far. Out of these, eight illegal immigrants, including six Bangladeshis, have been detained. Several police teams have been deployed to carry out verifications as part of this intensified operation.

During questioning, Abdul Ahad, who works as a laborer and hails from Sylhet in Bangladesh, admitted to entering India on December 6 with the help of a Bangladeshi agent to seek employment. Meanwhile, Mohammad Azizul, a resident of Dhaka, disclosed that he had entered India in 2004 through the Petrapole-Benapole border in West Bengal and had been residing in the country ever since.

Landlords Unaware of Foreigners Act Provisions
Police also noted that many landlords in the area were unaware of the mandatory provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, which require landlords and hotel operators to report foreign tenants to the FRRO within 24 hours of their arrival.

The crackdown, which was ordered by Delhi L-G V K Saxena, is part of a two-month drive aimed at identifying and deporting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh residing in the capital.

A 21-year-old Bangladeshi national, Jiban Barman, was apprehended by the Border Security Force (BSF) after swimming across the Korotwa River into India. The incident occurred in West Bengal’s Rajganj, where the man, a student from Thakurgaon Government College in Bangladesh’s Rangpur district, sought refuge after fleeing alleged torture in his home country. He was later handed over to the police for further investigation.

This event follows closely on the heels of another case involving a 17-year-old girl from Bangladesh, who crossed into India the previous day to escape threats and violence targeting her family. The girl, an ISKCON devotee, revealed that her family had been facing persecution as members of the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh. She claimed that fundamentalists had threatened to kidnap her and harm her family, prompting her desperate flight to safety.

Growing Concerns Over Communal Violence in Bangladesh
Recent reports indicate a surge in communal violence across Bangladesh, with the Hindu minority community increasingly targeted. ISKCON devotees have become a particular focus of attacks following the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka on November 25. Incidents of mob violence, threats, and property vandalism have been widely reported, raising serious concerns about the safety and well-being of minority communities in the region.

The BSF and local authorities continue to monitor the border areas as more individuals attempt to cross into India seeking refuge from violence and persecution.

In a significant operation, Udupi district police have apprehended seven Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the Malpe fishing harbor area since 2017. The individuals were found in possession of counterfeit Aadhaar cards, which they allegedly used to secure employment and housing.

Details of the Arrest:

Location: Malpe fishing harbor area, Udupi district.

Residency Period: The accused have been living in the area since 2017.

Fake Identification: The immigrants possessed forged Aadhaar cards, facilitating their stay and employment in the region.

Police Action:

The operation was conducted following a tip-off about the presence of illegal immigrants in the area. The arrested individuals have been charged under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act and the Indian Penal Code for forgery and illegal stay. They are currently in judicial custody pending further investigation.

Implications:

This incident underscores the challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and controlling illegal immigration, particularly in coastal regions where economic opportunities in sectors like fishing can attract undocumented workers. The use of fake identification documents also raises concerns about the effectiveness of current verification processes and the potential for such documents to be used in other illegal activities.

Official Statement:

A senior police official stated, “We are intensifying our efforts to identify and apprehend illegal immigrants in the district. The use of forged documents to obtain employment and housing is a serious offense, and we urge the public to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.”

Community Response:

Local residents have expressed relief over the arrests but also concern about the possibility of more illegal immigrants residing in the area. Community leaders have called for increased vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of the region.

Next Steps:

The police are conducting further investigations to determine how the forged Aadhaar cards were obtained and whether there is a larger network facilitating such illegal activities. Authorities are also reviewing current verification processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This case highlights the ongoing issue of illegal immigration and the need for robust measures to detect and prevent the use of counterfeit identification documents.