Hakimpur border crowds surge after West Bengal deportation campaign
Big crowds are showing up at the Hakimpur border in West Bengal, with many apparently heading back to Bangladesh.
This comes after the state ramped up its "detect, delete, and deport" campaign against illegal immigrants.
The push includes new holding centers and detainees being handed over to BSF outposts for deportation formalities.
Malda center holds 9 suspected Bangladeshis
West Bengal just opened its first holding center for suspected illegal immigrants in Malda, now housing nine suspected Bangladeshi nationals, three women, and six children.
The facility has CCTV cameras, police security, and basic amenities.
All of this is part of a new law that lets police arrest suspects without a warrant and includes biometric data upload before deportation proceedings are initiated.
Politically, reactions are mixed: BJP backs the move, while Trinamool Congress wants safeguards so Indian citizens are not wrongly targeted.