Delhi: Were Five Men Posing as Transgender Women Among 18 Illegal Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested?

New Delhi, June 28 (NationPress) In a significant operation targeting illegal immigration, the Foreigner Cell of the Delhi Police apprehended 18 Bangladeshi nationals, including five individuals masquerading as transgender women, during a well-coordinated combing effort in Ashok Vihar, North-West Delhi.

This action was the result of weeks of surveillance and actionable intelligence. Police teams executed a thorough verification process across more than 100 jhuggis and 150 lanes, effectively cordoning off the area to prevent any suspects from escaping.

During the operation, a dubious individual was halted for verification. Initially reluctant to cooperate, he eventually admitted to being a Bangladeshi national residing in India without valid travel documents.

Following the information provided, police discovered and detained 12 additional family members, comprising 10 adults and three children, all living illegally within the country. In another part of the crackdown, police identified five individuals engaged in street begging who presented themselves as transgender women.

The Delhi Police reported that these individuals had transformed their physical appearance to resemble women by utilizing heavy makeup, traditional female clothing such as sarees and salwar suits, artificial hair (wigs), bangles, bindis, breast enhancement techniques, and other feminine accessories.

"Some had even modified their voice and body language to closely imitate female mannerisms. These calculated actions seemed designed to enable them to blend into crowded areas and exploit social sensitivities toward women and transgender individuals, complicating the identification and verification processes by law enforcement agencies," stated Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West) Sikandar Singh.

Upon thorough questioning, they revealed that they had adopted these disguises and had even undergone minor surgeries and hormonal treatments to change their sex and appearance in an attempt to evade detection.

From the suspects, seven smartphones were confiscated, all equipped with the banned IMO app, which is used for communication with contacts in Bangladesh.

The utilization of prohibited apps and illegal residency constitutes a direct violation of the Foreigners Act, 1946, along with other immigration regulations.

All 18 individuals have been taken into custody and moved to the Foreigner Cell for further questioning and legal processing.

A deportation process is being initiated in collaboration with the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office).