New Delhi, April 14, 2025 – Delhi Police deported 15 foreign nationals from the capital Monday for overstaying or breaching visa terms, part of a 2025 sweep targeting illegal stays in Dwarka and Rohini. The group—10 Nigerians, three Bangladeshis, and one each from Ghana and Ivory Coast—was detained last week and sent packing after Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) orders, per NDTV.
The operation, led by the Anti-Narcotics Cell and local stations, zeroed in on slums and unauthorized colonies. “They had no valid visas—some expired in 2023,” DCP (Dwarka) Ankit Singh told The Indian Express. Eight Nigerians faced drug-related charges; others overstayed tourist or student visas. The Bangladeshis, nabbed in Rohini, used forged papers, police said (The Hindu). Deportations hit a detention center first—families split, belongings left behind (Times of India).
This isn’t new—Delhi booted 132 foreigners in 2024, mostly Nigerians (India Today). Through March 2025, 47 have been sent back, with Nigerians (28) and Bangladeshis (10) topping the list (Economic Times). “It’s about law, not bias,” Singh said, but X posts cry foul—“Targeting Africans?” (post:2). Others back it: “Clean up the city!” (post:5). India’s 98 lakh foreign visitors in 2024 dwarf the 2,331 deportations (MHA, 2023-24), yet Dwarka’s hubs stay hotbeds.
For India, it’s a balancing act—open doors, tight grip. With 1.5 lakh Nigerians and 5 lakh Bangladeshis in Delhi (MEA, 2024), visa checks spike—FRRO’s 2024 cases jumped 30% (Business Standard). Will this curb crime or spark diplomatic heat?
