Gujarat: Police raids wedding guests mistaking them to be Bangladeshis, hundreds detained – what is the whole matter?

Ahmedabad: A major police action in Ahmedabad and Surat, Gujarat has sparked controversy. In an operation launched against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants after the Pahalgam terror attack, the police detained hundreds of people attending wedding ceremonies and social events mistaking them to be Bangladeshis. More than 1,000 people were arrested in this action, some of whom were later released. The incident gained momentum on social media, where people called it mistreatment of citizens. Let us look at the whole truth and facts of this matter.

Police action after Pahalgam attack

After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, in which 26 people were killed, Gujarat Police launched a massive campaign against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi said, "Illegal Bangladeshis should either surrender themselves, or the police will take strict action." On the night of 26 April, the police conducted door-to-door searches in Ahmedabad and Surat and detained 1,024 people. 890 people were caught in Ahmedabad and 134 in Surat.

According to the police, the arrested people had fake Aadhar cards, PAN cards and other documents. Information came to light about some Bangladeshi nationals being involved in crimes like human trafficking, cattle smuggling and drugs. Search operations were conducted in areas like Sachin, Limbayat, Lalgate and Salabatpura in Surat.

Raids and disputes in wedding ceremonies

During this campaign, the police raided many social events, especially wedding ceremonies. In some cases, guests were detained without verification, leading to outrage among locals. “Gujarat police detained its own citizens mistaking them to be Bangladeshis. This is shameful,” wrote a user on X. Another post claimed that around 50 Muslims were later released.

However, the police dismissed these claims and said that the investigation into those detained was underway. The DCP (Ahmedabad Crime Branch) said, “We acted on the basis of intelligence and technical surveillance. Only suspects with fake documents were detained.”

Record of previous cases

This campaign of Gujarat Police is not new. In October 2024, Ahmedabad Police detained 50 illegal Bangladeshis, many of whom had fake voter IDs and Aadhaar cards. In November 2024, Surat Police caught a Bangladeshi woman who had entered India illegally by paying 15,000 taka. She had got an Aadhaar card made with fake documents.

Police claim that some Bangladeshis were involved in terror activities, such as working as sleeper cells for al-Qaeda. In May 2024, Surat ATS arrested Maulana Sohail Abu Bakar for plotting to kill Hindu leaders.

Social media uproar

The action on Twitter evoked mixed reactions. Some users praised the police for their strictness, while others called it an attempt to “target the Muslim community”. “It was wrong to parade the arrested people in public,” said one post. On the other hand, some supported Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi’s statement, in which he said, “We also have complete information about the facilitators of illegal migrants.”

Impact and next steps

The police are now starting the process of sending the arrested men back to Bangladesh. The case of women and children is being considered. However, the action has created an atmosphere of fear among the locals. “How do we check the documents of the guests? The police should have checked first,” said a wedding organiser.

Experts say illegal migration is a serious issue, but raids on social events without concrete evidence could fuel community tensions.