Ahmedabad Police detain 131 Bangladeshi nationals, 160 suspects under probe
Synopsis
Ahmedabad's late-night sweep has flagged 131 confirmed Bangladeshi nationals and pulled 160 more suspects in for questioning — the city's biggest such action since last year's Chandola Lake demolitions, signalling that Gujarat's anti-infiltration drive is widening well beyond a single hotspot.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch detained over 290 suspects in a late-night sweep across Chandola , Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar .
131 individuals have been confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals ; 160 others are under interrogation.
In 2024, over 6,500 suspected illegal immigrants were detained across Gujarat, with around 890 picked up in Ahmedabad.
Earlier drives led to demolition of thousands of illegal structures around Chandola Lake , a protected water body.
In West Bengal , land is being handed to the BSF to speed up fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border .
The Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch have detained more than 290 suspects and identified 131 Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in pockets of the city, including Chandola, Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar, during a late-night mega sweep, officials said on Wednesday, 3 June. An additional 160 suspects are being questioned at the Crime Branch as document verification continues.
How the sweep unfolded
In a coordinated overnight crackdown, teams fanned out across multiple zones of Ahmedabad, targeting clusters long flagged by intelligence inputs as potential havens for undocumented migrants. Officials said the operation drew on personnel from local police stations and the Crime Branch, with simultaneous checks in Chandola, Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar.
“Over 290 suspects have been taken into police custody and are currently being interrogated at the Crime Branch, where officials are thoroughly verifying their identification and residency documents as part of city-wide enforcement action across all zones,” officials said.
Who has been identified
According to Crime Branch officials, 131 individuals apprehended from various locations have been confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals, while the remaining 160 detainees are undergoing intensive questioning. Officers indicated that the count of confirmed infiltrators is likely to rise as document checks progress.
Echoes of the 2024 Chandola crackdown
This is not the first such operation in the city. Last year, the Gujarat Police and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation ran high-profile drives against undocumented immigrants and unauthorised settlements, particularly around the Chandola Lake area.
Authorities had then detained over 6,500 people suspected of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, of whom around 890 were picked up in Ahmedabad. Many were held for interrogation and nationality verification, after which civic teams used heavy machinery to demolish thousands of illegally built homes and structures around Chandola Lake, a protected water body. Those whose status was confirmed were subsequently deported after documentation.
Part of a wider national push
The Ahmedabad operation comes amid a sharply intensified anti-infiltration drive across India. The BJP-led Centre has been pursuing a sustained campaign to identify and remove undocumented individuals, citing concerns over national security and pressure on civic resources.
In the border state of West Bengal, land is reportedly being handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) following the BJP's recent electoral gains, to accelerate barbed-wire fencing along porous stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border.
What happens next
Investigators are expected to file detailed reports on each detainee, with deportation proceedings likely for those confirmed as foreign nationals. Officials indicated that similar sweeps could follow in other zones of Ahmedabad in the coming days.
Point of View
Verify, demolish, deport. What's notable is the geographic spread beyond Chandola into Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar, suggesting intelligence mapping has expanded. The harder questions, however, remain unanswered: how were these settlements allowed to take root over years, which networks facilitated documentation, and will action follow up the chain? Without that, periodic sweeps risk becoming visible enforcement without structural deterrence.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Ahmedabad Police crackdown on 3 June?
Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch carried out a late-night mega sweep across Chandola, Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar, detaining over 290 suspects. Of these, 131 have been confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals living illegally, while 160 others are still being questioned.
Where were the suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators detained?
The detentions took place in multiple Ahmedabad localities, primarily Chandola, Gulabnagar and Khodiyarnagar. These areas have been on the police radar for suspected undocumented migrant clusters.
How does this compare with the 2024 Chandola Lake crackdown?
In 2024, over 6,500 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained across Gujarat, with around 890 picked up in Ahmedabad alone. That drive was followed by large-scale demolition of illegal structures around the protected Chandola Lake and deportation of those whose foreign nationality was confirmed.
What happens next to the detained individuals?
The 160 suspects still in custody are undergoing identity and residency verification at the Crime Branch. Those confirmed as foreign nationals are expected to face deportation proceedings after documentation, in line with the procedure followed in earlier operations.
How does this fit into India's broader anti-infiltration push?
The Centre has intensified action against undocumented immigrants, citing national security concerns. In West Bengal, land is being transferred to the BSF to speed up barbed-wire fencing along porous stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border.
