Massive operations across Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Surat target illegal immigration; deportations to follow after verification.
Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], April 27:
In one of the largest operations against illegal immigration in Gujarat, Vadodara Police have intercepted over 500 suspected Bangladeshi nationals, officials said on Saturday.
Vadodara Police Commissioner Narsingh Komar confirmed that document verification is currently underway. So far, five individuals have been conclusively identified as Bangladeshi nationals. “A special drive is being carried out to identify and arrest illegal Bangladeshi nationals. Over 500 suspects have been intercepted, and verification is ongoing,” Komar said.
He added that the drive will continue in the coming days and that confirmed illegal immigrants will face legal action and deportation.
Simultaneously, similar operations in Ahmedabad and Surat led to the detention of over 550 suspected illegal immigrants. Gujarat Police said that these individuals were found living in India using forged documents.
The massive, coordinated crackdown involved multiple agencies — including the Special Operations Group (SOG), Crime Branch, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Prevention of Crime Branch (PCB), and local police forces.
In Surat, an overnight combing operation led to the detention of more than 100 illegal immigrants. “They had entered India illegally and were residing in Surat with fake documents. Deportation will follow after investigation,” said Rajdeep Singh Nakum, Deputy Commissioner of Police (SOG).
Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, a pre-dawn sweep involving the Crime Branch, SOG, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), and local police resulted in the detention of over 450 individuals. “More than 400 people were taken into custody,” confirmed DCP Crime Branch Ajit Rajian.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Ahmedabad, Sharad Singhal, emphasized that the action was initiated following clear directives from the Home Minister, the Commissioner of Police, and the Director General of Police.
“From April 2024 till now, the Crime Branch registered two FIRs. 127 illegal Bangladeshi nationals were caught, and 77 were deported,” he added.
The statewide crackdown signals a strict stance by Gujarat’s law enforcement agencies against illegal immigration and document forgery.