In a coordinated operation, the Tamil Nadu Police on Friday deported 33 Bangladeshi nationals who had been residing in India without valid documentation, officials said.
The group, comprising 25 men, four women and four children, had earlier been detained on grounds including alleged involvement in criminal cases, visa expiry and lack of proper documents. They had been lodged for several months at a special refugee camp in Attur in Salem district, where authorities provided basic facilities such as food and shelter.
During their stay, the detainees reportedly staged multiple hunger strikes, urging officials to expedite their return to Bangladesh. The issue was subsequently taken up by the Salem district administration with the state government.
Following this, the Ministry of External Affairs initiated communication with the Bangladesh High Commission in India to facilitate the deportation process. Officials said the repatriation had been delayed due to internal unrest and instability in Bangladesh over the past year.
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On Friday, the migrants were transported under heavy security from the Salem camp to Tiruchirappalli railway station. They were then sent to West Bengal aboard the Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express in a reserved coach, accompanied by more than 20 police personnel.
Officials said a separate coach was designated for security reasons to ensure a smooth and incident-free transfer.
Upon reaching West Bengal, the Tamil Nadu Police will hand over custody of the individuals to the West Bengal Police, who will then transfer them to Bangladeshi authorities at the international border.
The deportation is part of an ongoing drive by the Tamil Nadu Police to identify and repatriate foreign nationals staying illegally or overstaying their visas in districts such as Salem and Tiruppur.
Officials said the initiative aims to curb criminal activities linked to illegal migration while ensuring stricter enforcement of immigration regulations.
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