Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Nov 2: The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has detained 61 Bangladeshi nationals suspected of residing illegally in the city during a special verification drive conducted across several areas ahead of Diwali, officials said on Monday.
The operation, based on human intelligence and technical inputs, covered different parts of the city. A large number of those detained were found living in slum settlements and working as daily-wage labourers.
ACP (In-Charge), Crime Branch, S S Ninama said teams had been formed to identify foreign nationals allegedly staying in the city without legal authorisation.
Around 100 suspicious individuals were apprehended during the operation, of whom 61 were identified as Bangladeshi nationals.
"Most of them were engaged in masonry, domestic work and other forms of daily-wage labour. Some were also involved in small-scale businesses, while a few women were found to be associated with the spa business," Ninama said.
The Crime Branch found that many of the detained individuals were residing in slum areas, particularly in Danilimda, Narol, Odhav and Nikol.
According to the police, the individuals had entered the city in different groups through various routes and subsequently taken up casual employment.
"No specific agent involved in bringing these individuals to the city has been identified so far. They appear to have arrived in different groups and found work here," Ninama said.
Police said no forged Indian documents had been recovered from the detainees so far. Most of them were found carrying documents issued in Bangladesh.
The detained foreign nationals are being sent to the Gujarat Illegal Immigrant Centre (GIIC) for further proceedings, following which deportation procedures will be initiated.
The operation was conducted ahead of the Diwali festivities as part of efforts to identify foreign nationals allegedly residing illegally in the city.
The Crime Branch said verification drives and legal action against such individuals would continue in the coming days.