In a move aimed at strengthening internal security, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed all district magistrates to launch a “swift and uncompromising” campaign against illegal immigrants residing across the state, according to a press release shared by the state media cell here on Saturday.
The chief minister has also ordered the establishment of temporary detention facilities in every district, where foreign nationals, mainly Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingya Muslims, found residing illegally will be kept until verification is completed.
“Those who are identified as illegal immigrants will be housed in the temporary detention facilities and will be deported to their respective countries following due legal procedure,” the statement said.
Calling law and order, national security, and social harmony the “topmost priorities” of his government, the chief minister said that no unlawful presence would be allowed to take root in Uttar Pradesh.
The directive holds added significance as intelligence inputs suggest that several illegal infiltrators have begun fleeing West Bengal following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) action currently underway in multiple states across the country, according to people familiar with the issue. Many of these individuals, according to agencies, are attempting to slip into neighbouring states to evade the intensified verification drives being conducted in Bengal. The illegal immigrants are reportedly searching for safer regions within the country to avoid detection.
Uttar Pradesh’s vast geography and high inter-state mobility make it a potential transit and shelter state, prompting the government to adopt preventive measures. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh is more sensitive as it shares an open border with Nepal, allowing free movement of people.
District administrations in sensitive areas, especially those with high migrant populations such as the National Capital Region and other west UP districts, including Mathura, Agra, Meerut as well as Lucknow, have been instructed to intensify field verifications, identity checks and local intelligence gathering.
Officials have been instructed to ensure that the temporary detention centres adhere to protocol and remain secure, preventing any possibility of escape or disappearance during the documentation process.
Officials indicated that coordination between UP Police, central intelligence agencies, and border security units is expected to be strengthened to track any cross-state movement. The state government is also monitoring districts along major transit routes from West Bengal, anticipating possible infiltration by those evading the SIR exercise.
Reaffirming the state’s zero-tolerance stance, the CM said that national security cannot be compromised under any circumstances. The crackdown is expected to expand in the coming days, with district administrations preparing updated lists of suspect settlements and conducting door-to-door verification where required.