In a development drawing significant attention in Assam—where the issue of illegal immigration remains both politically sensitive and administratively important—Varanasi Police have reportedly identified close to 500 people suspected to be Bangladeshi nationals as part of an ongoing verification drive.
Officials confirmed on December 10 that special teams will soon be sent to Assam and West Bengal to cross-check the documents of individuals who claim to be originally from these states.
Varanasi Commissioner of Police Mohit Agarwal said that the verification campaign is currently being carried out in urban slums as well as rural areas to trace potential Rohingya or Bangladeshi infiltrators. He added that around 500 “suspicious” individuals have already been identified, and their Aadhaar cards, voter IDs and other documents have been seized for detailed scrutiny.
Agarwal noted that several of these individuals claim they belong to Assam or West Bengal but have not been able to produce valid or clear documents. They have been placed under watch and given a week’s time to submit proper proof of their citizenship, date of birth and permanent address. If they fail to do so, strict legal action will follow, he warned.
To verify these claims, police teams will soon travel to the respective districts in Assam and West Bengal to coordinate with local authorities and confirm whether the documents submitted are genuine. Intelligence agencies have also been asked to investigate if any local networks or individuals helped the suspected illegal immigrants settle in the area.
The police commissioner stressed that the drive will continue uninterrupted and that no illegal foreign national would be allowed to stay in Varanasi. This crackdown is part of a broader directive from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to identify and remove illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi residents from the state.
For Assam—long at the heart of national debates on cross-border migration—the move to send verification teams highlights the growing inter-state coordination on citizenship checks and the widening administrative reach of such operations across the country.