Are Fleeing 'Bangladeshi' Illegals Causing Sanitation Crisis In Gurugram? Report Reveals 'Bengali-Speaking Indian Workers' Detained Amid Crackdown

Gurugram: Gurugram has been left reeling under a sanitation crisis, with garbage piling up in upscale neighbourhoods and daily waste collection collapsing. Amid this civic chaos, a widely shared tweet by X user @haryannvi, who has over 35,000 followers, claimed that a "severe crackdown on Bangladeshi illegals" had led maids and garbage collectors to fleeing the city, implying that they were undocumented Bangladeshi migrants.

The post drew several reactions on the platform, sparking alarm and xenophobic comments online. However, the claim is misleading and is not supported by any official confirmation by authorities.

A Hindustan Timesreport, dated July 22, which exclusively covered the sanitation crisis, attributed the mass departure not to illegal immigration but to a climate of fear among Bengali-speaking migrant workers, many of whom are Indian citizens and long-time Gurugram residents, triggered by an ongoing police verification and detention drive.

Have a look at the X post here:

Severe crackdown on Bangladeshi illegals in Gurgaon? People across the city complaining about their maids, garbage collectors, etc fleeing the city/detained. Have heard this from too many folks already.

— Arihant (@haryannvi) July 25, 2025

What Did the Report Reveal?

From Palam Vihar and Sector 56 to Golf Course Extension Road, streets in Gurugram are littered with uncollected waste. According to the HT report, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s (MCG) informal waste collection network has collapsed, as hundreds of workers fled overnight fearing arbitrary detention.

Health Danger! Sector 70 #Gurugram drowning in garbage. Breeding ground for diseases. @MC_Gurugram @cmohry. Pls Help ! Citizens' health at severe risk. #SwachhBharat #Gurugram #WasteManagement #Swachhsurvekshan @DC_Gurugram @SwachSurvekshan @OfficialGMDA @MunCorpGurugram pic.twitter.com/ICAzXPzuot

— Gautam Dhar (@Himalayan_Bliss) July 22, 2025

“These are people who’ve worked here for years. They just disappeared. Some didn’t even stop to collect their Aadhaar cards,” a resident told HT, speaking about the scale of panic.

As per the report, between July 13 and 21, around 100 Bengali-speaking individuals, employed as domestic helps, drivers and waste collectors, were reportedly picked up by police. Five of them were released after being told to return to Assam. Residents insist that most of those detained are Indians, targeted only because of the language they speak and their region of origin.

MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya admitted to operational setbacks. “Most of the drivers and waste collectors are migratory workers, and their going away will affect our operations,” he told HT.

Drive Against Illegal Immigrants

Dr Arpit Jain, deputy commissioner of police (headquarters), told HT that the drive is being carried out under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines and is focused on identifying suspected illegal immigrants. Even those with Aadhaar cards are being held temporarily while their documents are verified with their home states.

The police, however, refused to disclose how many are detained or the locations of the four holding centres in use.

Experts and residents argued that this crisis was inevitable. “If MCG had integrated these workers formally and followed SWM norms, this breakdown could’ve been avoided. Instead, we’re witnessing the criminalisation of an essential, invisible workforce," said Kusum Sharma, a waste management expert, as quoted by HT.