Human rights activists have alleged that Delhi Police unlawfully detained and physically tortured several Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, falsely accusing them of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, reported the Maktoob Media.
The incident reportedly took place on June 25, when officers from Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh Police Station conducted a raid on a brick kiln and arrested seven migrant workers, including children as young as 6 and 11 years old. The detainees, all originally from West Bengal, had migrated to Haryana in search of seasonal work in the brick-making industry.
According to Ajima, the wife of one of the arrested men, the police arrived at the site under the pretext of document verification but instead took the workers to the police station, where they were held in custody. “They said it was just for document checks, but they were detained right after,” she said.
A letter submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for the immediate release of all those detained, highlighting that the detainees included women and minor children who were reportedly denied access to food, medical assistance, and legal representation. The letter further alleged that mobile phones and cash were confiscated and not returned.
Kirity Roy, a West Bengal-based activist, revealed that the detained workers were among those repatriated from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh following the 2015 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) signed between India and Bangladesh. This agreement, involving Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina, along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, transferred 111 Indian enclaves to Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves to India, effectively ending a decades-long territorial and citizenship limbo.
Roy explained that these repatriated Indian citizens were placed in settlement camps but were never fully rehabilitated or compensated as promised. As a result, many, including those recently detained, were forced to seek informal employment in other states like Haryana.
In his letter to the NHRC, Roy detailed grave allegations of custodial torture. One victim, Jahirul Mia, was reportedly beaten on his palms and soles with blunt objects and released in a distressed condition without his belongings.
Ajima confirmed that her husband was among those released and is returning home, though she has been unable to speak to him as his phone was taken.
Despite repeated appeals to Delhi Police and government officials, activists claim that there has been no official response. The Delhi Police, in its ongoing campaign, claims to have deported thousands of undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants, but activists argue that many legitimate Indian citizens—particularly Bengali-speaking Muslims—are being wrongly targeted in the process.
The ongoing crackdown has sparked outrage among human rights organizations, both in India and abroad, who have expressed concern over alleged unlawful detentions, torture, and the lack of due legal process.
