Police suspect presence of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Doon, conduct verification drive
PNS | DEHRADUN
Amid confidential inputs regarding the presence of Bangladeshi and Rohingya individuals in certain areas, a police verification drive was conducted across nine different police station areas (both urban and rural) in Dehradun district. During the campaign, police teams verified approximately 1,004 outsiders. Among them, 177 families with Aadhaar cards bearing addresses from districts such as Barpeta, Goalpara and Bongaigaon in Assam and Jalpaiguri, Murshidabad and 24 Pargana in West Bengal were identified. Out of these, 75 suspicious individuals were brought to the police stations for questioning, where their data was documented and verification proceedings are ongoing, the Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh.
He informed that the verification drive was initiated on Tuesday evening that extended late into the night. He said that police teams targeted areas with mixed populations and slum settlements in urban areas, Vikasnagar and Rishikesh zones. Urban locations included Nathanpur and Jogiwala, Nanda ki Chowki and Thakurpur slums, Bindal slum among others. In rural areas, the drive covered slums like Choi Basti in Sahaspur, Jamnipur in Selaqui and Chandreshwar Nagar in Rishikesh.
Singh said that the operation’s primary objective was to verify the authenticity of Aadhaar cards, suspecting that some individuals might have used fraudulent documents to settle in the area. The teams are also investigating the original residences of these individuals to determine their exact background. All collected data is being thoroughly scrutinised to ensure accurate verification, as per SSP.
He said that the police also conducted this verification drive to guarantee foolproof security for the upcoming 38th National Games which are scheduled to be held in Uttarakhand. According to him, the information of the presence of Bangladeshi and Rohingya individuals in the region had raised concerns that prompted the need for strict action to address any potential security threats.
The verification involved coordinated efforts from multiple teams, including the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). Singh stated that the verification drive is not a one-time action but part of an ongoing campaign to safeguard the region, especially during the National Games.
