New Delhi: Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that left 26 dead, Delhi Police have made efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshis. In a span of six months, over 700 Bangladeshi nationals have been deported from the national capital, according to a report of the Indian Express.
Since Pahalgam terror atatck, it has identified approximately 470 people as illegal Bangladeshi migrants and other 50 foreigners who had overstayed. Detainees were flown from Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad to Agartala, Tripura and then escorted the land border into Bangladesh.
The crackdown under the supervision the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, starting from late 2024 but gained speedy momentum after the Pahalgam incident. Special verification drives have been carried out across 15 districts of Delhi. The operations have targeted unaccounted Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya refugees who have entered India illegibly or overstayed their visas.
According to a report by The Indian Express, a source stated that Delhi Police set up around five temporary holding centres and were instructed to work with the FRRO to deport the illegal migrants via a special flight to Agartala airport and West Bengal.
Between November 15, 2024 and April 20, 2025, Delhi Police apprehended nearly 220 illegal immigrants and 30 foreign nationals with expired visas. They were transferred to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for eventual deportation.
In response to national security concerns, Home Minister Amit Shah has directed police forces to break the nexus supporting illegal immigration. The authorities are working to redress the issue of fake documents supporting illegal immigration such as fake visas and passports, and the networks that are involved in producing such documents.
The ongoing deportation drive is meant to emphasise the government’s firm stance of ‘zero tolerance to terror’ and national security. This is a part of a larger strategic initiatives to prevent the future threats and tighten immigration enforcement.
The operations are still underway.
