Two suspected Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in east Delhi were detained as part of an ongoing drive aimed to identify and deport illegal immigrants, police said on Sunday. Atifa (24) from Faridpur and Asma(24) from Narsingdi in Bangladesh allegedly illegally entered India via river routes.
“They subsequently switched locations in the national Capital to avoid detection,” a senior officer said.
Acting on an input, a police team launched a verification exercise and conducted multiple raids in the Mandawali area, resulting in their detention, he said. The deportation process of the two women is being take up through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. During interrogation, they admitted to crossing the border via Kolkata before using the local train network to travel to Delhi.
The authorities are now working to trace the network that facilitated their entry and provided them shelter, the officer said. Legal proceedings have been initiated, he added.
The Delhi police launched a campaign against illegal immigrants last November. Just two days ago, the Delhi police said they had apprehended six more alleged illegal immigrants in Jahangirpui who made a living out of posing as transgender people. Earlier, Delhi police have arrested 12 Bangladeshi nationals who were caught allegedly living illegally in separate areas of the city.
Six of the alleged immigrants were apprehended in south Delhi. Among them was a family of four working as ragpickers. The other two were a house help and shop worker. The immigrant family apprehended in south Delhi’s Shri Niwas Puri were Mohammad Quddus Howladar, his wife Mumtaj Begum and their two children. Police sources said that one of them came to collect rags in the Shri Niwas Puri area and was questioned by police.
He failed to provide sufficient answers, and police eventually found out that he was a resident of the neighbouring country living with his wife and two children here.
In February, soon after the BJP Government in the capital took charge, Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting, with Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in attendance, where he called for strict action against networks facilitating Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants into the country.
