Over 500 Illegal Bangladeshi Migrants Detained in Ahmedabad and Surat
Gujarat Police detained over 500 illegal Bangladeshi migrants during coordinated operations in Ahmedabad and Surat, officials said on Saturday, as part of a state-wide crackdown on unlawful residents.
In a major operation directed by State Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi, Gujarat Police teams detained approximately 400 individuals in Ahmedabad and over 100 in Surat. Officials said both men and women were apprehended from various localities during late-night and early-morning raids.
The Surat Police deployed eight to ten teams from different departments to track and detain illegal immigrants. The detained individuals were brought to the Surat Police Headquarters for questioning, with their mobile phones seized as part of the investigation.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Surat), Raghvendra Vats, confirmed the operation’s success, stating, “A coordinated effort by several teams helped identify the illegal immigrants. The arrested individuals are currently undergoing interrogation to confirm their identities. Once verified, they will be swiftly deported back to Bangladesh.”
Police sources indicated that stringent action will be taken against any individuals found providing shelter or employment to illegal migrants.
The crackdown comes amid rising concerns over illegal immigration in Gujarat’s major urban centres. Authorities have intensified verification drives after inputs suggested a surge in undocumented migrants, particularly from Bangladesh, settling in the state for work.
Earlier operations in Gujarat’s border districts had led to smaller-scale detentions, but this marks one of the largest single-day actions against illegal migrants in recent years.
Officials stated that verification processes could take several days. Meanwhile, the police are also investigating possible local networks facilitating illegal entry and stay.
Further operations are likely in other parts of the state as part of the government’s broader security initiative to ensure proper documentation and residency verification.
