Delhi verification drive: How Bangladeshi migrants hid identity – disguised as trangenders, some even underwent surgeries

Over 2,100 Bangladeshi nationals were deported from Delhi in 2024-25, with the majority being sent back in this year. According to figures released by Delhi Police on Tuesday, the highest number, 370, were deported from Outer Delhi, followed by 226 from North West Delhi, The Times of India reported.

Police investigations have found a complex network of illegal immigration where many individuals went to great lengths to hide their real identity. Some disguised themselves as transgender individuals, lived on the streets, and even underwent surgeries to change their physical appearance.

Disguises, makeup, and gender-affirming surgery

The cops cited the examples of Mohammad Raisul Islam, 27, and Mohammad Ebrahim Howlader, 26, two transgender individuals. They were apprehended on July 23 from beneath the Bhalswa Dairy flyover in North West Delhi. Both individuals admitted to their original nationality as Bangladeshi.

They told police they had gone through gender-affirming surgeries to appear as women, hoping that such a change would help them escape scrutiny, TOI reported.

"They used heavy makeup, wore sarees or salwar suits, used artificial hair (wigs) and adorned themselves with feminine accessories. Some others modified their voice and body language to closely mimic female mannerisms in an attempt to conceal their true identity. These two individuals were involved in begging during the daytime,” TOI quoted an official as saying.

On June 28, five more Bangladeshi nationals, who were begging while posing as transgender women, were caught in North West Delhi. They admitted to having undergone minor surgeries and hormone treatments to alter their appearance. Officers believe such efforts were meant to help them hide in crowded areas and avoid police verification, as there is often more social sensitivity towards women and transgender individuals.

Fake Aadhaar cards and illegal jobs

Besides disguises, many Bangladeshi immigrants were found using fake Aadhaar and PAN cards, often arranged by traffickers and local agents. These IDs helped them secure jobs in brick kilns, ragpicking, and other low-paying labour roles. Some even managed to buy property in West Bengal using forged documents to show proof of residency.

On June 4, 18 Bangladeshi nationals were caught in Bharat Nagar in North West Delhi. They had initially worked in brick-making factories in Haryana before moving to slum areas in Delhi.

Police said traffickers from Bangladesh, with support from Indian contacts, smuggled people across the border. From there, the immigrants usually took trains to Delhi. Once in the city, their Indian handlers helped them get fake identity cards and find shelter and jobs.

Detention centres and deportation process

To deal with the increasing number of illegal immigrants, authorities have set up both permanent and temporary detention centres across the city. The permanent centres are located in Lampur (Outer Delhi) and Sarai Rohilla (North West Delhi), each housing 50–60 people. Temporary shelters have been created in areas like Roop Nagar, Samaypur Badli, Vijay Vihar, Bhadola, and Seelampur.

According to the police, the creation of temporary detention centres depended on the number of illegal immigrants detained at any given time. The authorities identify suitable locations that can be quickly converted into shelters to hold illegal immigrants. Police said multiple teams work on tracing and verifying the migrants.

"One team detains the individuals, while another visits the states they claim as their residence to verify if they actually live there. After verification, if they are found to be illegal immigrants, they are handed over to the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office, which places them in detention centres,” an officer was quoted by TOI as saying.