Gandhinagar, June 4 (IANS) A statewide enforcement drive under ‘Operation Delta Hunt’ led to the detention of 501 individuals identified as alleged illegal Bangladeshi nationals across Gujarat on Thursday, according to figures released by authorities.

The coordinated action was carried out simultaneously in multiple districts as part of ongoing verification and identification exercises targeting suspected undocumented foreign nationals residing in the state.

On Wednesday, police teams, including district units, crime branch personnel, cyber cells and special operations groups, conducted early-morning checks at residential areas, labour sites and other locations flagged through intelligence inputs.

The operation forms part of a wider security and immigration enforcement framework being implemented in Gujarat.

Officials have said that such drives rely on a combination of telecom data analysis, human intelligence, and document verification to identify individuals suspected of illegal stay.

In initial phases of the same operation, authorities had screened thousands of suspected individuals and detained several hundred after verification.

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi has described the initiative as an intelligence-led exercise involving coordinated action across police units.

“Such operations are intended to identify undocumented residents and examine potential facilitation networks involving forged documentation, accommodation, and employment support,” he said.

Police investigations in earlier phases also included scrutiny of identity documents, with some cases involving suspected use of forged or fraudulently obtained Aadhaar records, and checks extending to individuals and networks allegedly assisting undocumented residents.

Authorities had also indicated that further questioning of additional suspected individuals would continue alongside verification of those detained.

The broader enforcement effort has been reported as part of ongoing state-level actions against illegal immigration, with earlier phases of Operation Delta Hunt recording detentions and large-scale screening operations across cities including Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot.

Further details, including district-wise distribution of the latest detentions and follow-up legal proceedings, are expected after completion of ongoing verification work.

–IANS

mys/dpb