CHANDIGARH: More than 200 individuals from West Bengal, suspected to be illegal migrants, have been detained in Gurugram and sent to four holding centers in the city. Their documents are currently being verified. Additionally, ten Bangladeshi nationals living illegally have been identified, and the Haryana Police has initiated their deportation.
Sources said that the verification drive, launched by Gurugram Police over the past week, has resulted in more than 200 people being detained and sent to temporary holding centers set up at community halls in Badshahpur, Sector 10A, Sector 40, and Sector 1 in Manesar.
The district administration on Tuesday appointed naib tehsildars to oversee these centers. Individuals whose documents are found to be in order are being released.
“During the verification process, ten individuals were identified as Bangladeshi nationals. Some Indian documents were also found in their possession, along with Bangladeshi documents. This confirmed that they were living illegally in India,” said an official. He added that during the investigation, it was revealed that several Bangladeshi and Rohingya individuals had obtained Aadhaar cards and other Indian identity documents using fake local addresses in Gurugram—mostly rented properties.
These ten individuals will soon be handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Bangladesh border via train or bus. The BSF will ensure their return to Bangladesh.
“This drive is being conducted to identify illegal immigrants,” said a senior police official, who denied reports that migrant workers from West Bengal and Assam were being specifically targeted. He added that ten illegal immigrants suspected to be from Bangladesh had been identified so far, and further verifications were underway.
A senior official also confirmed that the documents of individuals from West Bengal have been sent to the respective district administration for verification. A response has been requested within two days, but delays are being caused by the lack of response from the West Bengal government.
According to sources, the police are identifying residents of slums, construction sites, domestic workers, street vendors, and tenants. They are checking details such as permanent addresses, native states, duration of stay in Gurugram, and verifying the documents they hold.
“Due to fear of document verification, many illegal migrants have gone underground. Without valid documents, they are moving to rural areas or other cities.
Most of them were previously living in slums and temporary settlements,” said an official.
The ongoing drive has significantly impacted sanitation services, with garbage piling up across Gurugram. Many sanitation workers, most of whom speak Bengali, have stopped reporting to work due to fear of being picked up for document checks.
Sources claimed that over 20 individuals from Dhubri, Assam, had been held at the Sector 10 community center by the police for five days before being released on Wednesday.
Dr. Arpit Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters), Gurugram, said that the police are following the Union Government's guidelines regarding suspected illegal immigrants.
“We are not detaining anyone. Individuals are being kept in holding areas only until the verification process is complete. The purpose is to prevent any illegal immigrant from fleeing. Four such holding areas have been set up, one in each police zone in Gurugram,” he added.
“The Gurugram Police conducts similar drives throughout the year to identify illegal immigrants. Those found overstaying, or living without valid documentation, are deported,” he added.
Speaking on the current drive, Jain said that the details of each suspected individual are being sent to the respective state's district magistrate or deputy commissioner for verification. “We act upon the report once we receive it,” he said.
Gurugram Police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar added, “Under Home Ministry guidelines, four holding centers have been created. All basic necessities, including medical facilities, are being provided. Individuals whose documents are verified are being released. Everyone will be let go after the investigation is complete.”
Jahanur Islam, who has been working as a garbage collector in Gurugram for the past ten years, said the police detained them five days ago. “We weren’t told why we were being held. All those taken in collect garbage from homes in Kankarola and Panchgaon villages,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anju Khatun, a resident of a slum in Sector 56, who claims to be from West Bengal, said her husband was taken away by the police on Monday while he was cleaning cars at a residential society. “I found out in the evening that he was being held at a verification center. When I reached there with our Aadhaar cards and other documents, he was released. We are from West Bengal and have been living in Gurugram for the past five years,” she said.
