150 Bangladeshi Nationals Deported from J&K Under Foreigners Act

On October 5, 2026, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir transported 150 Bangladeshi nationals from Srinagar to Bagdogra, West Bengal, via a special Indian Air Force flight. This action was part of an ongoing effort to address individuals allegedly residing illegally in the Union Territory. The Border Security Force (BSF) received the group in West Bengal for their subsequent repatriation to Bangladesh.

The operation involved cooperation between the regional administration and the Srinagar Police. Officials stated that the removals followed a series of checks, including police verification and comparisons with Aadhaar data. Action was also taken under the Foreigners Act, a legal framework used to manage the presence of non-citizens within India.

Identification Process and Aadhaar Mismatches

A senior police officer explained that laborers in Kashmir were required to provide Aadhaar cards for registration purposes. During this process, discrepancies were reportedly flagged, and details were sent to Bangladesh for nationality confirmation. This verification step was crucial in identifying individuals whose presence was not legally sanctioned.

The process involved transit points in West Bengal, specifically Malda and Bagdogra, before the final handover across the border. The BSF was responsible for escorting the individuals across the border to complete the repatriation. These checks and subsequent actions were described as part of a broader initiative against alleged illegal residency.

Survey and District Counts Detail Different Stages of Identification

Reports indicate that a survey conducted across the Kashmir Valley identified approximately 600 Bangladeshi individuals suspected of living in the region without legal status. Separately, a submission to the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change detailed 504 formally identified individuals across 20 districts within the Union Territory. These figures represent different phases of the identification efforts, with the Valley survey providing an estimate and the district-level count reflecting formal identifications.

In addition to these numbers, reports mentioned that around 500 individuals had been detained in earlier police actions related to this drive. The High-Level Committee on Demographic Change was also informed that 7,656 Rohingya individuals were present in Jammu and Kashmir. When combined with the 504 identified Bangladeshis, this submission indicated a total of 8,160 undocumented foreign nationals in the region. These figures highlight the scale of the challenge in identifying and managing foreign nationals residing in the area.

Home Ministry Panel Gathers Demographic Information

The Ministry of Home Affairs established the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change on May 26, 2026. This committee, headed by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, was given one year to submit its findings. Its mandate extends beyond the immediate deportation operation, focusing on broader demographic shifts.

The committee has been tasked with gathering district-level information concerning “visible changes” in religious demographics over the past 15 years. This effort is part of a wider initiative by the Union Home Ministry to address demographic changes that may be linked to illegal immigration. The panel is actively collecting data from various districts to understand these trends.

The checks conducted in Jammu and Kashmir were reportedly initiated based on intelligence inputs and verified against Aadhaar registration data. Officials characterized these steps as essential for identifying individuals alleged to be residing unlawfully. Both the verification process and the subsequent removal of individuals are key components of the reported drive.

Second Batch Scheduled for Deportation

Following the initial group of 150 individuals, another group of 150 people was reportedly scheduled for deportation on October 7, 2026. This planned group was expected to follow a similar procedure, departing from Srinagar and being handed over in Bagdogra before repatriation to Bangladesh. This indicates a continued effort to address the issue of alleged illegal residency in the region.

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