In a massive crackdown across Gujarat, authorities have detained over 550 Bangladeshi nationals for illegally residing in the state, officials said on Saturday. The coordinated raids, led by Gujarat Police along with the Special Operations Group (SOG), Crime Branch, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), and local police, targeted key areas in Surat and Ahmedabad.
Surat witnessed the maximum number of arrests, with more than 100 people being taken into custody in a late-night raid after receiving intelligence inputs. Deputy Commissioner of Police (SOG) Rajdeep Singh Nakum verified that the people had entered the country illegally and were residing on forged Indian identity documents. “After interrogation and verification, they will be deported to Bangladesh,” Nakum said.
Ahmedabad witnessed an even broader sweep, with over 450 suspects taken into custody. The operation began around 3 a.m. and focused largely on the Chandola area, which had been flagged in recent intelligence reports for housing undocumented immigrants. DCP Ajit Rajian said that multiple police wings, including the Economic Offences Wing and Zone 6, participated in the raid.
Sharad Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), stated that the operation was carried out under direct orders from the Home Minister, Commissioner of Police, and Director General of Police. He added that previous operations since April 2024 had yielded two FIRs, the arrest of 127 Bangladeshi nationals, and deportation of 77.
The crackdown in Gujarat is a repetition of similar efforts nationwide. The Delhi police have instituted concurrent investigations into illegal immigration networks that allegedly assist Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals to enter India, secure fake papers, and establish themselves in urban cities. A total of six FIRs have been registered in the capital, including arrests of long-term illegal residents. The Ministry of Home Affairs has described the problem as a national security issue and directed law enforcement agencies to step up operations against such networks.