Delhi Police arrests two illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, identifies over 1,000 more

Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in-charge claims he ‘neither met L-G V.K. Saxena nor made a plea’ for a drive against illegal Bangladesh immigrants as Raj Niwas officials had ‘cited a request by the shrine and residents around while ordering drive’

Two illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have been arrested, and over 1,000 such living illegally in the city identified during the ongoing special drive to trace “illegal settlers”, a senior police officer said on Friday.

“We have identified more than 1,000 people during our drive and apprehended two men from Kalindi Kunj and Hazrat Nizamuddin area,” DCP (South East) Ravi Kumar Singh said.

Police have identified the arrested as Abdul Ahad, 26, resident of Sylhet, Bangladesh, and Md Azizul, 32, native of Manik Ganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Mr. Ahad was arrested on December 10 and Mr. Azizul on December 12. They were produced at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for initiation of deportation proceedings, the DCP said.

During the interrogation, the DCP said, Mr. Ahad revealed that he was working as a labourer in Bangladesh and entered India on December 6 with the help of an agent and stayed in the city to find a job. Mr. Azizul entered India in 2004, and since then he has been residing in India, the senior police officer said.

The DCP said police were maintaining a record of the inspection and would share it with the FRRO.

The Delhi police had launched a two-month-long special drive on Wednesday to identify and take action against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The drive came on the direction of Lieutenant-Governor V.K Saxena, who was “requested by a delegation of clerics and residents from the Hazrat Nizamuddin” to take action against the “neighbouring country’s infiltrators living in the city”.

‘Mistaken identity’

When The Hindu contacted Syed Kashif Ali Nizami, in-charge of the dargah, he said that neither the shrine committee nor its members approached the L-G regarding the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

“We don’t know who met the L-G and who submitted the memorandum regarding these concerns. Dargah’s name has been dragged into it. We have approached the police for clarity,” Mr. Nizami said.

However, police said they have not received any complaint so far.

Farhad Suri, a former Mayor, said the persons meeting the L-G “were not the real” representatives of the dargah.

The L-G office did not comment on the issue.

Published - December 14, 2024 01:20 am IST