In an ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration, Delhi Police has apprehended 92 Bangladeshi nationals during a special drive in the Southwest district, an official said on Tuesday. With this, the total number of Bangladeshi nationals detained since December 26, 2024, has reached 142.

According to police, a 10-day-long special operation was recently launched to identify and detain foreign nationals residing in India without valid documentation.

“Acting on intelligence inputs and with assistance from local informers, our teams conducted door-to-door verifications in several high-risk areas,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary in an official statement.

Areas Covered and Findings

As part of the drive, 88 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended from various localities including:

• Sarojini Nagar
• Kishangarh
• Safdarjung Enclave
• Vasant Kunj (North and South)
• Kapashera
• Palam Village
• Delhi Cantonment
• Sagarpur

“During interrogation, none of the detainees could produce valid documents to justify their stay in India,” the DCP added.

Many were found in possession of Bangladeshi identity documents, and after verification, they were confirmed to have entered the country illegally.

Illegal Entry and Occupations

According to police, several detainees admitted to having crossed the India-Bangladesh border using illegal methods — some waded through rivers, while others infiltrated through gaps in fencing.

Most of them had been residing in Delhi for several years, working primarily as daily wage laborers or domestic workers.

Separate Operation: Family Caught After 12 Years

In a separate operation, police detained a Bangladeshi family of four from the Delhi Cantonment area, including:

• Mohd Asad Ali (44)
• Nasima Begum (40)
• Son: Mohd Naim Khan (18)
• Daughter: Asha Moni (13)

The family had reportedly been living illegally in the area for the past 12 years. During questioning, they confessed to being residents of Farooq Bazar Ajwatari, Phulbari Kurigram in Bangladesh and admitted to entering India through unauthorized means.

None of them could present Indian citizenship documents, and procedures for their deportation are now underway via the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

Crackdown to Continue

DCP Choudhary confirmed that the operation is part of a broader effort to tackle illegal immigration in the district. The police are expected to continue surveillance and verification activities in other sensitive zones in the coming weeks.

“This is a matter of national security and legal compliance. Further operations will continue as per intelligence inputs,” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday highlighted the remarkable progress of India’s health infrastructure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contrasting it with what he described as the Congress governments’ longstanding neglect of the sector.

Speaking at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Nagpur after laying the foundation stone of “Swasti Niwas” — a residential facility for cancer patients and caregivers — Shah said the health sector’s budget has witnessed a significant leap under the Modi administration.

“The budget for the health sector under PM Modi has increased to ₹1.35 lakh crore, as against ₹37,000 crore during the UPA regime led by Manmohan Singh,” Shah said. He commended the private sector for partnering with the government in enhancing healthcare services across the nation.

The Union Minister noted that India records the highest percentage of oral cancer cases globally and reported that one person dies from cervical cancer every eight minutes. “Earlier, cancer treatment was considered inaccessible, but several quality institutions have emerged over the past 15 years,” he added.

Lauding the NCI’s contribution, Shah said the institute has provided exceptional service to patients not only from Maharashtra but also from neighboring states like Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh.

Referring to initiatives launched under PM Modi, Shah said that around 60 crore people now receive free medical treatment of up to ₹5 lakh through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, with state government support pushing the limit to ₹25 lakh in many cases.

He further noted that since 2014, the number of government medical colleges has doubled from 387 to 780. The annual MBBS intake has increased from 51,000 to 1.18 lakh, while postgraduate seats have surged from 31,000 to 74,000.

Highlighting wellness initiatives such as International Yoga Day, Fit India Movement, and Khelo India, Shah also praised programs providing clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and LPG connections for smoke-free kitchens.

Shah assured Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of full support from the Centre for establishing a cutting-edge research facility at the NCI premises. He expressed confidence that NCI would emerge as India’s top cancer treatment center in the near future.

“Cancer treatment is a long and painful journey. Only those who have experienced this pain understand the spirit of service required to ease such suffering,” Shah said.

He acknowledged Fadnavis’s role in conceptualizing the cancer institute back in 2012 and said, “Today, he is a two-time Chief Minister because of his vision and dedication.”

Deputy CM Fadnavis, speaking on the occasion, described ‘Swasti Niwas’ as a compassionate initiative aimed at providing cancer patients and their families with a comfortable and dignified environment during treatment.

According to an official release, the residential facility will span 1.7 lakh square feet and include a convenience center, food court, and other essential amenities. The project is supported by multinational firm Pernod Ricard India as part of its CSR initiative and is being designed by JJ Consultants.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition challenging the decision of the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 examination in two separate shifts.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses (NEET-PG) is scheduled to be held on June 15, 2025, in two computer-based shifts. Results are expected to be declared by July 15.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Augustine George Masih took note of submissions made by the petitioner’s counsel and assured that the matter would be listed for hearing shortly. The lawyer, raising the urgency of the matter, pointed out that admit cards for the exam are to be issued on June 2.

“The bench said it would list the matter this week. It is extremely urgent,” the lawyer emphasized, urging the court to expedite the hearing.

Previously, on May 5, the apex court had sought responses from the National Board of Examinations, the National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding the issue. However, the case was not listed last week as expected.

The plea, filed by a candidate named Aditi and others, contends that holding the exam in two shifts could result in an unequal level of difficulty, thereby leading to potential unfairness. The petitioners have demanded that the examination be conducted in a single shift to ensure a “just, fair, reasonable and equitable” assessment for all candidates.

The development follows the Supreme Court’s recent directions aimed at curbing seat-blocking in NEET-PG counselling. The court had also mandated the publication of raw scores, answer keys, and the normalization formula used in the examination process.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has clarified that the India-Pakistan understanding to cease hostilities was the result of direct negotiations between the two nations, rejecting claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington played a mediating role.

In an interview to Dutch broadcaster NOS during his ongoing Europe tour, Jaishankar emphasized that while global powers expressed concern during the military standoff, the ceasefire was a bilateral decision reached independently by New Delhi and Islamabad.

“The cessation of firing and military action was something which was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan,” Jaishankar said, underscoring India’s sovereign decision-making.

He further stated that India made it explicitly clear to all parties, including the United States, that Pakistan must convey its intent to halt hostilities directly to India.

“We told everyone, including the US, that if the Pakistanis want to stop fighting, they need to tell us directly. Their general has to call up our general – and that is exactly what happened,” he said.

This statement comes in the wake of President Trump’s repeated assertions that Washington helped broker the truce, following the dramatic escalation in military tensions earlier this month.

Operation Sindoor Still Active

Jaishankar also reaffirmed India’s right to respond to terrorism emanating from across the border. Referring to Operation Sindoor, the precision strikes carried out by India on May 7 targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoJK, he said the operation continues as a clear message to Pakistan.

“If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are. The operation continues not for the sake of conflict, but as a deterrent against future attacks,” Jaishankar asserted.

The strikes came in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which Jaishankar described as “barbaric”. He revealed that the attackers singled out victims based on their religion, committing mass murder with the aim of igniting religious discord in India.

“It was imperative to respond. The lack of response was not an option,” he said firmly.

Ceasefire Amid Retaliatory Strikes

Following India’s surgical operations, Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes on May 8, 9, and 10, targeting Indian military installations. These attempts were swiftly repelled with heavy retaliation, causing significant damage to Pakistani military assets.

On May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri officially announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to halt all military actions across land, air, and sea.

Talks Possible – But Only on PoJK and Terrorism

Jaishankar also opened the door for dialogue with Pakistan — but with clear boundaries.

“We are willing to talk to Pakistan, but only about the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK) and on the issue of terrorism,” he said.

When asked about the potential impact of regional tensions with Pakistan and China on India’s economic growth, the minister dismissed the notion of choosing between security and prosperity.

“Security and economic growth are part of the same coin. You can’t grow without security. Our challenges are far more threatening than Europe’s, and we have prioritized accordingly,” he explained.

Jaishankar is currently on a three-nation tour of the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, focused on strengthening diplomatic, strategic, and economic ties with European nations.