15 more illegal immigrants spotted for deportation to Bangladesh: Delhi police 

The Delhi police have identified 15 more people for deportation to Bangladesh as part of their two-month-long special drive launched earlier this month to locate illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country, a police officer said on Sunday.      

The officer said a total of 30 people have been identified by them so far for deportation to the neighbouring country.

The police have initiated their deportation process in coordination with the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO), he added.

The drive was launched on December 11 after Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena ordered strict action against “Illegal Bangladeshi” immigrants.  

Earlier, the issue of illegal immigrants had snowballed into a major controversy with the BJP accusing Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of facilitating their settlement in the Capital to get their votes in the elections.

Hitting back, AAP slammed the BJP-led Centre for its “inability” to control such cross-border movement of people and asked as to how illegal immigrants reached the Capital after passing through several BJP-ruled States without detection.

The officer said the 15 fresh people identified for deportation on Saturday included Jahangir, his wife and their six children residing in south-west Delhi’s Rangpuri. They hail from Kekerhat village of Madaripur district in Bangladesh. 

“During interrogation, Jahangir admitted to have entered India through unofficial routes. Subsequently, he brought his family members to the Capital,” said the officer, adding they destroyed their Bangladeshi identification documents to live here.

He said the other seven people, including five women, were arrested from near Arjan Garh and were living in Gurugram.

“Their documents showed that they hailed from Netrekona and Kumila districts of Bangladesh,” said the officer. 

Another officer speaking to The Hindu said multiple police teams have been formed by them to in inspect slum areas and unauthorised colonies in the Capital to identify such people.

“We have made lists of such slums and unauthorised colonies where a large number of immigrants are suspected to be living. We carry out a door-to-door inspection to locate them,” he said.

Published - December 30, 2024 06:24 pm IST