2000 cops, 50 bulldozers, 50 dumpers: Ahmedabad's Chandola Lake area razed in crackdown on illegal Bangladeshis

In what is touted as Gujarat's biggest demolition drive, over 2,000 police personnel, including civic and other authorities, over 50 JCBs and over 50 dumpers went about bulldozing illegal settlements early on Tuesday near Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad. The drive is part of a statewide operation targeting illegal immigrants, particularly suspected Bangladeshi nationals. 

The action comes amid a broader crackdown across the state, including cities like Surat and Rajkot, where crackdown against illegal settlements has begun.

Chandola Lake is said to house the highest number of Bangladeshi infiltrators in Ahmedabad. Over 800 suspected individuals have reportedly been detained from the area. 

Since Monday night, a large number of bulldozers and trucks were stationed near Chandola Lake. Teams from Gujarat Police, Crime Branch, Cyber Crime, SRP (State Reserve Police), and SOG (Special Operations Group) were deployed.

In total, over 2,000 personnel were stationed at the site. Over 50 bulldozers and over 50 dumpers were mobilised for the operation.

Seeking an urgent hearing, 18 petitioners moved the Gujarat High Court early on Tuesday seeking a stay on the demolition activity.  

The petitions raised several questions about the legality of the demolition and alleged that the authorities were carrying out the operation in violation of established norms.

It further argued that the residents are not Bangladeshis, and their homes were being demolished wrongfully. The petition also mentions that determining someone’s foreign status falls under the jurisdiction of the Foreigners Tribunal, and thus, demolishing homes without a proper legal basis is not justified.

Petitioners claimed they were not given any notice, nor were there any arrangements for rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, the court is said to have dismissed the petitions.

In the last 14 years, approximately 1.5 lakh square metres of government land has allegedly been encroached upon by suspected Bangladeshis.

With police action now underway, residents are also questioning how such large-scale illegal encroachments were allowed to continue for years under the administration’s watch.