On Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police flew 150 Bangladeshi nationals from the Kashmir valley to Bagdogra in West Bengal aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft, where they were turned over to Border Security Force personnel for final pushback.
The deportees were among a group of about 600 people the authorities identified during a comprehensive survey of the valley, conducted with the support of the state police and the Home Ministry.
The survey, carried out last month, found the suspects living in a makeshift camp overseen by Srinagar Police; the police have reportedly escorted them to the airport in a secure convoy.
The Home Ministry had earlier set up a High‑Level Committee on Demographic Change (HLCDC) on 26 May, headed by Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, to study demographic shifts caused by illegal immigration and recommend policy measures.
A 32‑year‑old farmer from Pulwama, among those slated for deportation, told reporters he had lived in the valley for five years but had no legal papers. An additional 150 Bangladeshi nationals are slated to be deported on 7 October, with the next flight scheduled from Srinagar to Bagdogra.
For the 600 identified, the state says the process will involve a final pushback to Bangladesh after a review of each case, with the goal of clearing the valley of unauthorized residents.