Drive to detect illegal B’deshi migrants in UP

LUCKNOW: Director general of police (DGP) OP Singh on Monday issued a circular to all district police chiefs directing them to launch a comprehensive drive for identification of illegal immigrants.

Speaking over phone to HT, the DGP confirmed the exercise and said it was necessary for strengthening internal security.

He said police in the districts have been told to crosscheck the nationalities of people staying in camps and slums on the city outskirts, on roadsides around railway stations and bus stands and slums that have recently come up on deserted stretches in cities.

Singh said the district police have also been told to record videos and click photographs of the localities suspected to be hideouts of illegal immigrants.

A senior police official at DGP headquarters in Lucknow said at least 259 Rohingya Muslims in Lucknow and Mathura have already been identified, while several thousand Bangladeshis are suspected to be illegally staying in different districts.

The DGP’S circular cautioned that illegal immigrants take shelter in slums and camps by posing as residents of other states. He said the district police should do verification of the suspected illegal immigrants and crosscheck their claims if they identify themselves as residents of other states.

The circular stated that the police should also try to verify how the illegal immigrants managed to get different identity proofs, and specify the state facilities they were availing of.

The DGP said people helping them in getting fake identity proofs should also be identified and stern action taken against them. “These identity proofs could be ration cards, voter lists, driving licences, firearms licences, passports as well as Aadhaar cards,” reads the circular.

The police drive for identification of illegal immigrants has triggered speculation over implementation of National Register of Citizens in Uttar Pradesh.