More than 200 “illegal Bangladeshi migrants” were transferred from the Indian state of Gujarat to northeastern border states on Thursday aboard a special Indian Air Force (IAF) flight. They were handed over to Border Security Force (BSF) authorities there. According to Indian officials, they will subsequently be sent back to Bangladesh. This was reported by Indian newspaper The Indian Express.
Following the Pahalgam attack, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs ordered the identification and repatriation of illegal immigrants, prompting Gujarat Police to launch a search operation that lasted nearly two months.
A senior Gujarat police official told The Indian Express that an Indian Air Force Airbus aircraft transported these Bangladeshi nationals, along with some suspected immigrants, from Vadodara Airbase to the border states.
Gujarat Police has not yet released a detailed list of these individuals. The official said they were sent to several northeastern states, including West Bengal.
These migrants had been held in temporary detention centers in Gujarat. From there, they were taken to Vadodara Airbase under tight security. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) supervised the security arrangements.
The official stated that the repatriation process began immediately after their detention. Gujarat Police coordinated with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and the Border Security Force (BSF) for the operation, which was carried out following the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He added that the individuals were dropped off in Indian states bordering Bangladesh in the northeast. From there, the BSF will send them back to Bangladesh.
