By Emeka Blast 
Early Morning Raids: 500+ Suspected Illegal Immigrants Held by Rohtak Police in Haryana
In a massive pre-dawn operation, Rohtak Police detained over 500 individuals, including women and children, suspected to be illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants during raids on slums across Haryana on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The crackdown, launched at 3:00 a.m., targeted areas in Rohtak’s Sector 27 and nearby slums, where many detainees were reportedly involved in scrap collection and manual labor, police sources confirmed.
The operation, part of a broader nationwide drive to curb illegal immigration, was spurred by intelligence inputs linking undocumented migrants to potential security threats. Rohtak Superintendent of Police, Himanshu Garg, stated, “These individuals lacked valid documentation to prove their legal status in India. They are being held at Rohtak Police Lines for verification, and deportation processes will follow after necessary formalities.” The raids were conducted in coordination with the Central Intelligence Bureau and local units, following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs to identify and deport illegal settlers.
Preliminary investigations revealed that many detainees allegedly entered India through West Bengal, facilitated by agents charging ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per person for illegal border crossings. Some possessed forged Aadhaar cards, raising concerns about organized immigration rackets. Among the detainees, several admitted to residing in Haryana for years, working in low-wage sectors like scrap collection and brick kilns. The operation follows similar crackdowns in Gujarat, Odisha, and Delhi, where thousands of suspected illegal immigrants have been detained since April 2025.
The raids have sparked debate, with some X posts praising the police for addressing national security concerns, while others, including local residents, allege overreach, claiming Bengali-speaking Indian citizens from Assam and West Bengal have been mistakenly detained. The Calcutta High Court, hearing related petitions, recently questioned the rationale behind such nationwide operations, demanding clarity from the central government.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini commended the police, stating, “This decisive action sends a clear message that illegal infiltration will not be tolerated.” However, human rights groups have raised concerns about the treatment of detainees, urging fair verification processes to avoid targeting vulnerable communities.
