Over 1,000 Bangladeshi immigrants detained in crackdown in India's Gujarat

More than 1,000 "illegal" Bangladeshi immigrants, including women and children, were detained following combing operations in India's Gujarat, and efforts were underway for their deportation, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said on Saturday.

At least 890 Bangladeshis were detained in Ahmedabad and 134 in Surat, in what the minister termed as the biggest operation of its kind by the Gujarat police to date.

Sanghavi warned illegal immigrants residing in Gujarat to surrender before the police on their own accord, or else they will be nabbed and deported.

He also warned of legal action against people providing shelter to illegal immigrants.

"A historic success has been achieved in nabbing illegal Bangladeshis. As many as 890 illegal immigrants were caught by the Ahmedabad police and 134 by the Surat police. This is the biggest operation of the Gujarat Police against people living illegally in the state," Sanghavi told reporters in Surat after chairing a meeting with senior police officers via video-conferencing.

He said the detainees used fake documents obtained from West Bengal to stay in different parts of India before coming to Gujarat.

The minister said, "Many of these people are involved with drug cartels, human trafficking, and as we saw how two out of the four Bangladeshis arrested recently worked in sleeper cells of Al Qaeda. A probe will be conducted into the background of these Bangladeshis and their activities in Gujarat."

He said arrangements were made "to complete all the procedures for their deportation as soon as possible".

"We will also investigate fake documents they used to reach different parts of the country and Gujarat, and action will be taken against those who created the fake documents," he added.

Sanghavi said the police have been instructed to take action against illegal immigrants across Gujarat, and a clear order has been given to Pakistani nationals to leave Gujarat as per the decision taken at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security.

It is the state government's responsibility to ensure citizens of other countries don't stay illegally in their state, the minister said while congratulating the Ahmedabad City and Surat police for successfully nabbing the "intruders" by staying in the field all night for the operation.

He further said that West Bengal would be provided with proof of how the detainees got fake documents made in the state.

Talking to the media in Ahmedabad, Director General of Police Vikas Sahay said the detainees were being questioned, and their nationality was being established based on documentary and other evidence.

"Once the police establish that they are Bangladeshi nationals, the process of their deportation will be carried out at the earliest in coordination with the Central government and Border Security Force," he said.

Sahay said the operation was conducted simultaneously in Ahmedabad and Surat around 3am on Saturday.