Police check identity papers in Muslim colonies in Banswara District based on clothes and beards; local Muslims accuse officials of bias
NEW DELHI/BANSWARA — In what many are calling a “targeted crackdown,” Muslim men wearing kurtas, pyjamas, caps, and sporting beards in Rajasthan’s Banswara district are being stopped, questioned, and searched by police under the pretext of tracing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
Residents of Muslim-dominated areas say they are being harassed and humiliated, with officers checking documents door-to-door, singling out people based on their appearance.
A joint operation by Kotwali and Rajtalab police stations began in the Madareshwar Road Muslim Colony of Banswara on Sunday. Police, accompanied by heavy force, entered homes and demanded Aadhar cards, voter IDs, and other proofs of nationality. According to officials, the order came from Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan Agrawala, who said the operation aimed to locate “illegal Bangladeshi citizens.”
However, local Muslims believe the real target is not foreigners — but them.
“Are we criminals just because we wear a kurta and have a beard?” asked Mohammad Yaseen, a 47-year-old shopkeeper whose home was searched.
“They came early in the morning. My wife and daughters were scared. Police asked for everyone’s ID. I gave them my Aadhar and voter ID. But still, they kept asking where I was from. I was born here in Banswara, so were my parents.”
Yaseen said police appeared to focus mostly on Muslim homes. “They didn’t check any other neighbourhoods. Only ours. Why is it always us? Is it because we are Muslims?”
Superintendent of Police Agrawala said the drive was part of a nationwide plan to identify illegal immigrants following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The government has taken a strict stand. We are verifying documents of suspicious individuals. Over 600 people have been checked in this district alone,” Agrawala told reporters.
But when asked why only Muslim colonies were raided, he said, “That’s where the inputs pointed us. We are acting on intelligence.”
However, no concrete evidence has been shared to support this claim.
A local officer, requesting anonymity, admitted, “We have not found any Bangladeshi national so far, but the operation will continue.”
Several residents in the Madareshwar Road area said that they now feel like outsiders in their own country.
Shabana Bano, a 52-year-old widow, broke down in tears as she described the raid. “My husband died last year. I live with my two sons. One is studying in a madrasa, the other works in a textile shop. Police entered without notice. They asked if we were Bangladeshi. Why would they say that? What have we done?”
Her son, Mohammad Salman, showed his ID cards and school documents but said the officers “still looked at us like we were lying.”
“I was born in Udaipur. My mother is from this very area. Why should I prove my Indianness again and again?”
Human rights activists and minority leaders have criticised the manner of the operation, calling it “unlawful” and “Islamophobic.”
“Every time there’s a terror attack anywhere, Muslims across India are harassed. What is the connection between Pahalgam and the Muslim families of Banswara?” asked Advocate Nadeem Akhtar, a Jaipur-based rights lawyer.
“You cannot label a community as suspicious just because of their dress. This is a clear violation of the Constitution.”
He added, “Imagine the message this sends to Muslim children — that their skullcap or beard makes them suspects in their own land.”
Despite aggressive checking, police have not confirmed arresting any Bangladeshi citizen in Banswara. Officials admitted that some documents were found “incomplete” but did not clarify what that meant.
Local journalist Afzal Hussain, who has been reporting from Banswara for a decade, said: “These operations are not new. Every few years, Muslims are targeted in the name of security. But in this case, it feels more planned. The language used by police — saying Bangladeshi is ‘seen in every beard, kurta, and cap’ — is dangerous. This will only increase hatred.”
This pattern of selective checking is not limited to Rajasthan. In recent weeks, reports from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh show similar operations focused on Muslim-majority areas.
In many cases, police entered homes without warrants, took photos of families, and demanded proof of citizenship, often ignoring laws and due process.
Shaikh Naeem, a retired teacher from Jaipur, said this pattern reflects “growing anti-Muslim attitude” in the system.
“They use the excuse of Bangladeshi or terrorism to enter our houses. But it’s only us they question, not others. It’s not about the law. It’s about who you are.”
Several families described the behaviour of the police during the raids as rude and frightening. “They came in big numbers, some with sticks, some with cameras. They didn’t ask politely. They shouted,” said Feroze Alam, a labourer whose house was searched.
“My daughter is 14. She was terrified. We are poor, but we are Indian. Just because we wear caps doesn’t mean we are outsiders.”
When asked about the trauma caused to women and children, the police had no response.
Community leaders have appealed to the government to carry out investigations without bias and not blame an entire community for the actions of a few.
Maulana Rashid Qasmi, a senior cleric from Udaipur, said: “We support national security. But targeting poor Muslims and accusing them of being foreigners without proof is not justice. This is humiliation.”
He added, “Our people are scared to even step out. They are being insulted just for their dress and religion. This must stop.”
According to Indian law, only those without valid documents and who cannot prove nationality after proper legal process can be detained. Entering homes without warrants or searching based only on appearance violates several constitutional rights.
Senior lawyer A.S. Mahmood said, “Police cannot treat citizens like suspects just for having a beard or wearing a certain kind of dress. Such actions can be challenged in court.”
He also urged victims to file complaints, though many are too afraid to do so.
Young Muslims in Rajasthan expressed growing frustration over what they see as systemic discrimination.
“We were born here, raised here, pay taxes, vote — and yet, every time something happens somewhere, we are made to feel like guests,” said Sameer Khan, a college student in Banswara.
“We’re not asking for favours. Just don’t treat us like strangers in our own country.”
While the raids continue, few political leaders have spoken out. Opposition parties have largely remained silent, and national media coverage has focused more on “illegal Bangladeshis” than on the impact of these operations on Indian Muslims.
Some TV channels even showed photos of bearded men and labelled them “suspicious,” further fuelling stereotypes.
“Instead of asking questions, the media is making things worse,” said Rubina Shaikh, a social science teacher in Banswara. “This is not journalism. This is targeting.”
As of now, the police say the operation will continue. More Muslim areas are likely to face door-to-door checks in the coming weeks.
But for the families in Banswara, the damage is already done.
“My 10-year-old son asked me if we are not Indian,” said Nasreen Fatima, a homemaker. “What do I tell him? That our religion makes us less Indian?”
Her voice trembled as she added, “We are scared, but we won’t leave. This is our home.”
