New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) In a major crackdown on illegal immigration, the Foreigner Cell of the Delhi Police apprehended 18 Bangladeshi nationals, including five individuals who posed as transgender women, during a coordinated combing operation in Ashok Vihar, North-West Delhi.

The action followed weeks of surveillance and targeted intelligence inputs. Police teams conducted a meticulous verification drive across over 100 jhuggis and 150 lanes, strategically cordoning off the area to ensure no suspect could escape.

During the operation, a suspicious individual was stopped for verification. Initially evasive, he eventually confessed to being a Bangladeshi national living without valid travel documents.

Acting swiftly on the leads provided, police located and detained 12 more members of his family, including 10 adults and three children, all residing illegally in India. In a second part of the operation, police teams identified five individuals involved in street begging who presented themselves as transgender women.

According to Delhi Police, it was found that these individuals had altered their physical appearance to resemble women by using heavy makeup, traditional female attire such as sarees and salwar suits, artificial hair (wigs), bangles, bindis, breast enhancement techniques, and other feminine accessories.

“Some had also modified their voice and body language to closely mimic female mannerisms. These calculated efforts appeared to be aimed at blending into densely populated areas and leveraging social sensitivities towards women and transgender persons, thereby complicating routine identification and verification by enforcement agencies,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West) Sikandar Singh.

During detailed questioning, they revealed that they had adopted these disguises and had even undergone minor surgeries and hormonal treatments to alter their sex and appearance in an attempt to evade detection.

From the suspects, seven smartphones were seized — all installed with the banned IMO app, used to communicate with contacts in Bangladesh.

The use of banned apps and illegal residency is a direct violation of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and other immigration laws.

All 18 individuals have been taken into custody and shifted to the Foreigner Cell for further interrogation and legal processing.

A deportation procedure is being initiated in coordination with the following FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office).

–IANS

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