Rajeev Sharma :- In a major operation against illegal immigration, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and city police have detained more than 290 suspects from different parts of the city, identifying 131 of them as illegal Bangladeshi nationals during preliminary verification. Officials said around 160 other detainees are still being questioned to ascertain their identity and citizenship status.
The large-scale operation was carried out late at night across the Chandola, Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar areas, where police teams conducted extensive searches and document verification drives. According to the Crime Branch, the detained individuals were taken into custody as part of an ongoing campaign aimed at identifying and acting against illegal immigrants residing in the city.
Police officials said the verification process is continuing and legal action will be initiated against those found to be residing in the country without valid documentation. Authorities are examining identity papers and other records to determine the nationality and legal status of the suspects.
The latest crackdown forms part of a broader drive that was launched last year by the Gujarat Police and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation against illegal settlements and undocumented immigrants, particularly in and around the Chandola Lake area. During that campaign, more than 6,500 individuals suspected of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained for verification, including nearly 890 persons from Ahmedabad.
Following the operation, civic authorities demolished thousands of unauthorised structures and encroachments around Chandola Lake using heavy machinery. Officials had stated that the lake is a protected water body and that illegal settlements in its vicinity posed environmental and administrative concerns.
Authorities had also initiated the process of verifying the citizenship status of the occupants and undertaking further legal procedures against those found to be staying in the country illegally. Police said the citywide verification drive would continue in the coming days as part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal immigration and enforce documentation norms.
