At least 13 illegal Bangladeshi migrants, working as daily wage earners in Gurugram without valid travel or residence documents, have been detained during an ongoing special verification drive, police said on Tuesday, adding that the process of deporting them has been initiated.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Hitesh Yadav said the Crime Branch team conducted searches based on intelligence inputs. “During the operation, officers checked the identities and citizenship status of individuals living in construction sites and informal settlements, and identified 13 people who allegedly failed to provide valid documents to prove their legal residence in India,” Yadav said.
Yadav said that Bangladeshi citizenship documents were seized during the verification process that proved their citizenship.
Police said one of the 13 told investigators that they entered India illegally through the Kaliganj border in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district with the help of transnational agents on both sides of the international border.
Yadav said they were working as daily wage earners in Gurugram and the deportation process will begin as per the law.
Police said the special campaign would continue and urged residents, welfare associations, homeowners and employers to ensure verification of tenants, domestic workers and employees.
They appealed to the public to share information about any suspicious foreign nationals by calling the 112 emergency helpline or the nearest police station.
The police stressed that the ongoing identification drive aims to identify persons residing illegally and does not include Indian citizens and foreign nationals with valid documents. “Legal action will be taken against those who try to spread misinformation or rumors about the campaign,” Yadav said.
The police said the campaign is part of a broader operation to identify foreign nationals residing illegally in Gurugram by verifying documents of those living in rented places, slums, industrial areas and hotels.
