Ahmedabad, June 3 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch have detained over 290 suspects and officially identified 131 Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally across areas like Chandola and Gulabnagar during a late-night mega sweep, officials said on Wednesday.

In a major late-night crackdown, the authorities launched a mega search operation targeting suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators across various areas, including Chandola, Gulabnagar, and Khodiyarnagar of Ahmedabad.

“Over 290 suspects have been taken into police custody and are currently being interrogated at the Crime Branch, where officials are thoroughly verifying their identification and residency documents as part of city-wide enforcement action across all zones,” the officials said.

According to crime branch officials, a total of 131 individuals have been apprehended from various locations and are confirmed to be Bangladeshis, and an additional 160 suspects are currently undergoing intense interrogation at the Crime Branch.

Numbers are likely to increase, the officials said.

Last year, the Gujarat Police and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation launched massive, high-profile crackdowns against undocumented immigrants and illegal settlements in Ahmedabad, particularly in the Chandola Lake area.

The authorities had detained over 6,500 people suspected of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, of whom around 890 were apprehended in Ahmedabad.

Many of the detained were held for interrogation and verification of nationality.

Following the detentions, civic authorities used heavy machinery to demolish thousands of illegally constructed homes and structures around Chandola Lake, which is a protected water body.

The illegal residents were then deported after documentation.

India has significantly intensified strict anti-infiltration measures. The BJP-led Central government has launched an unprecedented campaign to target and remove undocumented individuals, citing a threat to national security and resources.

In the border state of West Bengal, following the BJP’s victory in the Assembly elections, land is actively being handed over to the BSF to expedite barbed-wire fencing along the porous sectors of the Indo-Bangladesh border.

–IANS

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