Bangladeshi Woman Faces Deportation After 12 Years in India; Husband

Police in Anand, Gujarat, have arrested Kajuli (now known as Kajal), a Bangladeshi woman who entered India illegally in 2016. Kajal had crossed the border to marry Tarun Patel, a resident of Lambhvel village, after the two met on Facebook and fell in love. The couple has been married for 12 years and has two sons, aged 8 and 2. Kajal converted to Hinduism after their marriage.

Kajal’s illegal entry into India came to light during a Gujarat police operation targeting Bangladeshi infiltrators. She was traced after making a phone call to her ailing mother in Bangladesh, which was intercepted by authorities. On June 2, Kajal was arrested and sent to a women’s shelter as deportation proceedings began.

Tarun Patel has appealed to the Indian government and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi to grant Kajal citizenship on humanitarian grounds. He stated that Kajal’s return to Bangladesh would endanger her life, as her family and extremists there would not accept her due to her conversion to Hinduism. Tarun also emphasized that Kajal came to India out of love, not with any criminal intent.

Their elder son, Dhyan, has also pleaded with the government, saying he has not seen his mother for 15 days and cannot live without her. Tarun highlighted that India has granted citizenship to persecuted Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh and urged the government to consider Kajal’s case similarly to prevent the family from being torn apart.

Key Points

• Kajal, a Bangladeshi woman, entered India illegally in 2016 to marry Tarun Patel after meeting him on Facebook.
• The couple has two sons and has been living in Anand, Gujarat, for 12 years.
• Kajal was arrested after her phone call to Bangladesh was traced by police.
• Tarun Patel has appealed to the Indian government to grant Kajal citizenship, citing threats to her life in Bangladesh.
• Their son Dhyan has also requested the government to allow his mother to stay in India.