Gujarat govt turns focus to facilitators, fake document networks after migrant detentions (Lead)
Gandhinagar, June 3
Gujarat Police have widened their investigation beyond the detention of hundreds of suspected illegal Bangladeshi migrants and are now examining the network of local agents, employers, and facilitators who allegedly helped them obtain accommodation, employment, and identity documents.
On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that 'Operation Delta Hunt' was not limited to identifying foreign nationals residing illegally in the state, but also aimed to uncover those who assisted them.
"Police units are investigating who provided these people with houses, who gave them jobs, and who helped them remain here. Anyone providing shelter to such illegal individuals without proper documentation will also face legal action," he said.
Officials said field units were using technology and human intelligence to identify local agents and facilitators suspected of arranging SIM cards, accommodation, employment, and forged documents, including Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards.
"The people helping infiltrators will not be spared," Sanghavi warned.
Sanghavi said strict action would also be taken against industries found to have employed undocumented foreign nationals without submitting mandatory verification documents to police authorities. Investigators have also focused on the alleged procurement of identity documents.
According to the state government, several detainees are suspected of having entered India years ago through different regions of West Bengal before obtaining local documents that were later used to secure official identification.
During the press conference, Sanghavi said: "Authorities had received information suggesting that some individuals had managed to obtain local documents in villages and towns near the Bangladesh border and subsequently acquired Aadhaar cards using those records."
Police are now examining the broader network involved in creating and using such documents.
Director General of Police (DGP) K. L. N. Rao said the operation relied heavily on telecom analysis and field verification.
A database of Indian mobile numbers that had communicated with Bangladeshi numbers was prepared, leading investigators to more than 6,200 suspicious profiles.
Authorities said questioning of more than 782 suspected individuals was continuing and that further arrests could follow as verification progresses.
Sanghavi declined to comment on suggestions of political links, saying no such connections had emerged so far and that the "investigation remained ongoing".
"The operation would continue across Gujarat in the coming weeks as police seek to identify illegal residents and those who may have facilitated their stay," he asserted.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I understand the security concerns, I hope the investigation remains focused on the criminals running the document rackets, not on ordinary workers who may have been exploited. Many of these people are victims of human trafficking networks.
Good that DGP Rao is using technology like telecom analysis. But I'm skeptical - 6,200 suspicious profiles from mobile data alone? There might be many false positives. Need careful verification before labeling anyone illegal. Also, what about the political connections angle? Sanghavi ji is being too evasive there. 🤔
From what I've seen in my village near the Bengal border, this is a long-standing issue. Many people have been getting documents through middlemen for years. The government should also focus on why people feel the need to cross illegally - poverty and lack of opportunity in Bangladesh. But yes, the law must be enforced. Operation Delta Hunt sounds serious!
Respectful criticism: Deputy CM Sanghavi should clarify how they'll distinguish between genuine refugees and economic migrants. Many Bangladeshi Hindus have fled persecution. Also, what about Indian citizens who lost their documents? This could lead to harassment of legitimate residents. Need clear guidelines, not just a dragnet operation. 🙏
My chacha works in a textile mill in Surat. He says many factories knowingly hire workers without proper documents because they can pay less. The real criminals are the employers and the agents, not the poor people just trying to survive. Hope the police go after the big fish, not just the small ones. Ab to operation delta hunt ka asli shik
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