Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sep 29: In a sweeping immigration enforcement move, Cyberabad police have deported 23 foreign nationals who were found illegally overstaying in India, following a raid on a farmhouse near Hyderabad last month. The deported individuals include 22 Ugandan nationals and one Sudanese citizen, with 20 of them being women, officials confirmed on Monday.
The action follows an August 14 raid at a farmhouse in Bakaram village, conducted by the Rajendranagar Zone Police and the Special Operations Team (SOT), Shamshabad, after receiving a tip-off about an unauthorized birthday party involving loud music and foreign attendees. Upon inspection, police discovered 51 foreign nationals (14 men and 37 women) at the party.
Verification revealed that 36 individuals were overstaying in India without valid visas, passports, or legal documentation. These included citizens from Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, Botswana, Kenya, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Malawi. Of the 36, 29 were women.
Following the raid, police coordinated with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Hyderabad, which issued Movement Restriction Orders, and the overstaying individuals were placed in detention centres across Cyberabad and Hyderabad.
Out of the 36, 24 provided original passports, enabling FRRO to issue Exit (Leave India) permissions for 20 individuals, who were successfully repatriated. The remaining four with valid passports are still being processed.
For the 12 people lacking valid documents, police collected photocopies of passports, and embassies in Delhi were contacted. One-Time Travel Documents (OTDs) were secured for three individuals, who were then deported. OTDs for six others have also been issued, and their repatriation is expected within a week. Authorities are still coordinating with embassies to secure documents for the final three.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rajendranagar Zone, stressed the importance of document verification. Foreign nationals are urged to monitor their visa and passport validity and approach immigration authorities immediately if their documents expire.
The DCP also warned house owners to verify passports and visas before renting out their properties to foreign nationals. For existing tenants, re-verification must be conducted without delay. Authorities reiterated that failure to report undocumented foreign nationals could result in legal consequences, and any such individuals should be immediately reported to the nearest police station.
With six more deportations pending, this crackdown marks one of the most significant recent actions against illegal foreign residents in the region, underlining the administration’s tough stance on immigration compliance.