Gujarat Man Seeks Halt To Deportation Of Bangladeshi-Born Wife Citing Hindu Conversion

A man from Gujarat’s Anand district has appealed to authorities not to deport his Bangladeshi-born wife, claiming she has embraced Hinduism and could face serious risk if returned to Bangladesh, amid the ongoing Operation Delta Hunt crackdown on illegal immigrants.

The woman was detained around two weeks ago for allegedly residing in India without valid documents and is currently lodged in a women’s shelter home while deportation proceedings continue. Authorities have not issued any exemption or case-specific ruling so far.

The case has emerged as part of a wider statewide enforcement drive under which Gujarat Police have detained over 600 Bangladeshi nationals , including women and children, in recent weeks, according to official data. Earlier phases of the operation saw hundreds more detained after coordinated verification drives across districts.

The woman, identified as Kajal, is alleged to have entered India illegally about a decade ago after connecting with her husband Tarun Patel through Facebook in 2012–13 while she was in Bangladesh . Patel said she later came to India due to family pressure abroad and the couple married in India under Hindu rites , adopting Hindu customs thereafter.

Patel, a resident of Lambhvel village, said they have two children aged eight and two and urged the government, including Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi , to consider humanitarian grounds, citing fear of persecution in Bangladesh and the impact of separation on the children.

Police officials, including IG Raghavendra Vatsa (Ahmedabad Range) , have said they are not yet fully briefed on the matter.

The case continues to unfold under heightened enforcement of Operation Delta Hunt , which targets undocumented foreign nationals and alleged facilitators across Gujarat.