In what appears to be a significant step toward addressing the issue of illegal foreign nationals, authorities have intensified efforts to free the national capital from undocumented residents.

The Delhi Police detained 71 foreign nationals including 47 Bangladeshis, 17 Rohingyas, and 7 Nigerian citizens, from Dwarka in the month of May for residing in India without valid documentation. All of them have been sent for deportation, officials said on Friday.

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Ankit Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), stated: “In May, continuing the crackdown on illegally staying foreign nationals, the team detained 71 individuals, including 47 Bangladeshi nationals, 17 Rohingyas, and 7 Nigerians.”

The officer said the police had received information about individuals residing in the country without valid visas or any legal documentation, prompting a series of coordinated raids across multiple areas of the Dwarka district.

“As part of the probe, our team gathered intelligence on the whereabouts of suspected illegal residents. Acting on a tip-off, we apprehended the individuals, who later admitted to staying in India without legal documents,” Singh added.

Most of the detainees were found living in slum clusters, and background checks are underway to determine any potential criminal links. Verification processes are ongoing for the remaining individuals.

Singh also said, “We have dispatched teams to West Bengal, as many of the detainees appear to have roots or connections there.”

Following their detention, all 71 individuals were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in RK Puram, Delhi, which ordered their deportation. They have since been moved to a detention center pending the completion of legal and logistical formalities.

Among those arrested were seven Nigerian nationals, including Musa Umaru Abdullahi and Abasifreke Umoh Bassey, who were found staying illegally in Delhi. These individuals, aged between 30 and 35 years, hail from various Nigerian states.

Singh reiterated, “The detained individuals are being processed through the FRRO for formal deportation.”