On July 16, Rabiul Khan, a 40-year-old resident of the Badshahpur slum in Gurgaon’s Sector 66, faced a shocking turn of events when police arrived at his home during lunch and detained him. Khan recalled, “They took my phone… I had only a few seconds to tell my wife where I was. They checked all my identification documents. I told them I’m from Malda in West Bengal, but they insisted I was Bangladeshi.” After being held for a week, he was released from a holding center in Sector 40 on July 23, where his wife, Chavi Bibi, 39, had been anxiously waiting for his return.
Khan was one of several men rounded up by the Gurgaon Police as part of a “routine verification” drive targeting Bangladeshis and Rohingya individuals believed to be residing illegally in the city. This initiative has ignited fear among the Bengali-speaking migrant community, prompting many to flee Gurgaon. Speaking under the shade of a tree near Shamshan Ghat, Khan detailed his ordeal, claiming, “They demanded I reveal the identities of my Bangladeshi neighbors. I was slapped twice…”
Though he presented his digital voter ID and PAN card when asked, Khan stated, “Our documents clearly show we are Indian citizens, yet they were using force.” Held at various centers, he noted that only two out of 130 detainees there were Hindus. Having lived in Gurgaon for nine years, primarily engaging in odd jobs like dog walking and car washing, he decided against returning home for the time being. He was grateful for the support of his landlord, Surender Jatav, who stood by him outside the detention center, asserting, “They are Hindustani (Indians), our own people… If they are guilty, investigate — we are with you (the police).”
Regarding his time in the holding center, Khan mentioned, “We were given the same two meals daily — a little rice and dal. But the facilities were decent; we had mattresses and clean toilets.” His neighbor, Anaraul Haque, 45, who has lived in Gurgaon since childhood, also faced police action. He recounted, “They came last Wednesday after I dropped my daughter off at school at 8 am. The police had been asking about me… They hit me and took me to their car along with two relatives.”
At the detention center, Haque claimed a policeman grilled him about his nationality, the number of Muslims in the area, and the duration of his stay in Gurgaon. He insisted he was not Bangladeshi but was told he wasn’t cooperating and was taken to Sohna. Haque was released only after his village office emailed required documents.
Tejul Islam, another local who was questioned, described the officers as rude. “They said, ‘Tell us now if you’re Bangladeshi.’ I showed them my documents… If we are Indian citizens, why do we need to prove it all over again?” Adam Ali, detained in Chakkapur, stated, “They just picked me up, took my phone, and left my family worried. I wasn’t beaten, but I felt treated with constant suspicion.”
A spokesperson for the Gurgaon Police later confirmed that all detainees were released by late Thursday night, stating, “There is no question of targeting any community… There have been no instances of violence or demands for bribes to force confessions. The documents requested are part of routine verification, and individuals are released once authenticated.” As of Friday, eight Bangladeshi nationals were reported to be detained and facing deportation.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/we-are-indians-why-must-we-prove-it-again-men-quizzed-by-gurgaon-cops-during-verification-drive-10150347/
Category: Cities,Delhi
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Publish Date: 2025-07-26 05:34:00
