Delhi Police launch drive to detect and deport B'deshis

New Delhi, July 13, 2008: Amid reports that perpetrators
of several recent terror attacks have links with Bangladesh,
the Delhi Police have launched an intensive drive to detect
and deport illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country
living in the national capital.
Officials said an increasing number of illegal
Bangladeshi immigrants in the city got into crime like
murders, attempts to murder, burglaries, robberies, snatching
and drug peddling among others and posed a threat to Delhiites
and to the national security.
According to a Delhi Police data, about 2,000 illegal
Bangladeshi immigrants have been detained and subsequently
deported to their country between January 1 and June 15, 2008.
Police said they detain at least 10 Bangladeshi illegal
immigrants every day from different parts of the national
capital.
Figures show that more than 4,000 illegal Bangladeshi
immigrants are being deported from the capital every year.
As many as 5,813 illegal migrants were deported to
Bangladesh in 2003, while 6,027 were deported in 2004 apart
from the 5,754 sent back in 2005. The figure stood at 4,742
and 4,117 for 2006 and 2007.
"The increase in the number of illegal immigrants is a
cause of worry," a police official said.
However, detecting illegal immigrants is a Herculean
task, as many of them have succeeded in obtaining fake
identity proofs like ration cards and voters identity cards,
he said.
According to him, a dedicated wing of Delhi Police,
'Bangladeshi Cell', is in place under each police station.
Each cell is headed by an Inspector, who regularly visit his
area and detect and detain illegal immigrants acting on the
tip-off of intelligence agencies or through his own networks
of informers.
"The Bangladeshis who are caught by the special cell
are kept in a detention house at Alipur Road. We then, with
the help of FRRO, deport them in groups," he said.
Around 30,000 Bangladeshi immigrants have been deported
from Delhi since 2003.
The first case of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants being
involved in crime in Delhi was found way back in 1997 in a
serial blasts, police said. The recent series of bomb blasts
in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan pointed out more
involvement of Bangladeshis.
Police said thousands of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants
have taken shelter in the city. "Delhi gets them good job and
money. That is why they prefer to stay here. However, we are
doing all to check their number," the official said.
City pockets where they put up included Seelampur, near
Nizamuddin Shamshan Ghat, Ansari Nagar, Sadiq Nagar, Yamuna
Pushta, Sarai Rohilla market, Jahangirpuri, Narela, Bindapur,
Nauroji Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Vikaspuri and
Wazirabad.
Intelligence inputs have confirmed that criminal
elements from across the eastern border provide easy hideouts
and logistical help to them.
Though Bangladesh authorities have denied presence of
their nationals in India, many illegal immigrants are
prosecuted under the Foreigners' Act and convicted in India.