West Bengal’s BJP government has operationalised its first holding centre for suspected illegal foreign nationals in Malda district under its “detect, delete and deport” campaign.
BY PC Bureau
May 25, 2026: West Bengal’s newly launched crackdown on illegal immigration moved into action on Monday, with the BJP-led state government opening its first holding centre for suspected foreign nationals in Malda district. The facility, set up at Chandan Park in English Bazar, is currently housing nine suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including three women and six minors, officials said.
According to senior police officers quoted by PTI, the detainees were brought to the centre from Gazole’s Pandua area on Sunday under heavy security. Authorities said the holding centre has been equipped with CCTV surveillance, police deployment, civil defence personnel and civic volunteers, along with arrangements for food and daily upkeep.
Officials described the centre as part of the government’s “detect, delete and deport” policy aimed at identifying and processing illegal immigrants in the state.
“The holding centre has started functioning. At present, nine Bangladeshi nationals are being housed there. Necessary verification and legal procedures are being carried out. The detainees are being treated in accordance with prescribed legal norms,” a senior police officer told PTI.
The move follows directions issued by the state home and hill affairs department’s foreigners’ branch asking all district administrations to establish dedicated facilities for “apprehended foreigners” and “released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation”.
The policy push comes amid the BJP government’s broader anti-infiltration campaign in West Bengal. Earlier this month, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said individuals identified as infiltrators and falling outside the ambit of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would be arrested by state police and handed over directly to the Border Security Force for deportation.
Officials said the proposed mechanism would allow the BSF to coordinate with Border Guards Bangladesh for repatriation procedures.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS
Holding centres are reportedly being readied in Maldah, with sources claiming that nine Bangladeshis are currently housed there. pic.twitter.com/tEVXPkpSvZ
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) May 25, 2026
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Authorities also linked the new holding-centre system to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which replaced previous immigration and foreigner-related laws with a technology-driven framework for surveillance, detention and deportation.
Under the law, police officers of head constable rank and above can arrest, without warrant, individuals suspected of violating immigration rules. Union home ministry guidelines allow suspected illegal entrants to be housed in such facilities for up to 30 days while their nationality and documents are verified.
District magistrates or equivalent authorities will take the final call on citizenship status after verification, officials said. The process includes biometric data collection, uploading records to central databases and eventual transfer of confirmed illegal immigrants to border security agencies for deportation.
However, minority communities including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2024, remain exempt from prosecution under provisions linked to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
