In a sweeping crackdown, Gujarat police detained over 1,000 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, from Ahmedabad and Surat on Friday night. The operation, hailed as the largest of its kind in the state, was carried out under the direction of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
State police chief Vikas Sahay confirmed that 890 people were detained in Ahmedabad and 134 in Surat. He emphasized that this move was crucial in tackling illegal infiltration and related criminal activities. Sahay revealed that investigations had uncovered disturbing links to drug and human trafficking, with two detainees even suspected to be Al-Qaeda sleeper cell operatives.
State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi described the operation as a message of zero tolerance toward illegal residency and security threats. “This is just the beginning,” he warned. “Anyone illegally residing in Gujarat must come forward within two days or face strict legal consequences.”
Authorities also suspect that many of the detainees used fake documents from West Bengal to settle across India. A probe is underway at the Joint Interrogation Centre to investigate the forged paperwork and wider criminal networks enabling such infiltration.
The state plans to deport all detainees after completing legal formalities. Officials further warned that those providing shelter to illegal immigrants will be prosecuted under relevant laws.
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