Operation Delta Hunt: 609 illegal Bangladeshis arrested across Gujarat
Synopsis
Gujarat's Operation Delta Hunt has netted 609 illegal Bangladeshi nationals — 323 of them women and 125 children — across the state in under a week, with Ahmedabad and Surat as the epicentres. The numbers have nearly doubled since 3 June alone, and authorities are still going. Facilitators — those who arranged shelter, jobs, or documents — are now squarely in the crosshairs too.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police have detained 609 illegal Bangladeshi nationals under Operation Delta Hunt as of 6 June 2025 .
Detainees include 161 men , 323 women , and 125 children .
Ahmedabad City recorded the highest arrests at 207 , followed by Surat City at 120 .
Arrests have nearly doubled from 362 on 3 June to 609 within days as operations expanded.
Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi said action will also be taken against facilitators of illegal settlement, employment, and accommodation.
Verification drives and search operations are continuing, with further arrests expected.
Gujarat Police have detained 609 illegal Bangladeshi nationals across the state under Operation Delta Hunt, a coordinated statewide crackdown on undocumented immigration that has been intensifying since its launch last week, officials confirmed on Monday, 8 June 2025. The operation represents one of the largest single-state immigration enforcement drives in Gujarat's recent history.
Breakdown of Detentions
According to official figures released up to 8 pm on 6 June, those detained include 161 men, 323 women, and 125 children. Ahmedabad City recorded the highest number of arrests at 207, followed by Surat City with 120, Ahmedabad Rural with 64, Bharuch district with 61, and Kheda district with 22. The remaining detentions were spread across other districts statewide.
How the Numbers Have Escalated
The scale of the operation has grown rapidly across successive phases. Statewide arrests stood at 362 by 3 June, climbing to 501 and then 568 in subsequent rounds before reaching the current figure of 609. Authorities have confirmed that verification and search operations are still ongoing, meaning the total is expected to rise further.
How the Operation Works
Operation Delta Hunt was launched as a multi-agency effort coordinating district police units, crime branch personnel, cyber cells, and special operations groups. Officials said the drive relies on technical surveillance, telecom analysis, human intelligence, and document verification to identify foreign nationals allegedly residing in the state without valid authorisation.
Many of those detained were reportedly working in the informal labour sector, with concentrations found in major urban centres including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Bharuch.
What the Government Has Said
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi had earlier stated that the operation was planned over several days and covered all parts of Gujarat. He added that investigations are being conducted into the backgrounds of thousands of individuals identified during the verification exercise. Sanghavi said action would be taken against persons found to have facilitated illegal settlement, employment, or accommodation without the required verification procedures — signalling that the crackdown extends beyond the detainees themselves to potential facilitators.
What Happens Next
Authorities said verification and legal procedures are continuing in accordance with applicable laws. Investigations are examining possible networks involved in facilitating illegal entry, documentation, residence, and employment. Police teams are continuing searches in areas flagged through intelligence inputs, and further arrests are expected as the operation extends to additional districts.
Point of View
Not a spontaneous crackdown. The demographic profile of detainees, predominantly women and children, raises legitimate questions about due process and the conditions of detention that authorities have not yet addressed publicly. Extending the net to facilitators — landlords, employers, labour contractors — is the more consequential part of this operation: it signals a structural attempt to disrupt the informal economy that absorbs undocumented migrants, not just remove the migrants themselves. How Gujarat handles deportation procedures and legal oversight will determine whether this becomes a replicable model or a controversy.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Delta Hunt in Gujarat?
Operation Delta Hunt is a coordinated statewide crackdown by Gujarat Police targeting illegal Bangladeshi nationals residing in the state without valid authorisation. Launched last week, it involves district police units, crime branch personnel, cyber cells, and special operations groups using surveillance, telecom analysis, and document verification.
How many people have been arrested under Operation Delta Hunt?
As of 8 pm on 6 June 2025, a total of 609 people have been detained, including 161 men, 323 women, and 125 children. The number has nearly doubled from 362 on 3 June as operations expanded across more districts.
Which districts in Gujarat saw the most arrests?
Ahmedabad City recorded the highest detentions at 207, followed by Surat City with 120, Ahmedabad Rural with 64, Bharuch district with 61, and Kheda district with 22. Remaining arrests were spread across other districts.
What action is being taken against those who helped illegal immigrants settle?
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi has said investigations are underway into individuals who facilitated illegal settlement, employment, or accommodation without required verification. Action will be taken against such facilitators, extending the crackdown beyond the detainees themselves.
Is Operation Delta Hunt still ongoing?
Yes, authorities confirmed on 8 June 2025 that verification drives and search operations are continuing across Gujarat. Further arrests are expected as police teams pursue leads from intelligence inputs in additional districts.
