Story perspectives

Bengaluru Police Seek Citizenship and Visa Verification for Dhruv Rathee

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 5:13 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao wrote to the Home Secretary to verify Dhruv Rathee’s citizenship and visa.
Rathee attended a protest at Freedom Park, Bengaluru on 8 October 2026.
The rally targeted the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision and held a people’s tribunal on voter-list deletions.
Rao requested verification of Rathee’s passport, visa type and any OCI status.
He said the inquiry aimed to ensure compliance with the Foreigners Act, 1946.

History

Historical Context

India’s Foreigners Act, originally passed in 1946, remained the legal basis for immigration control until its repeal in 2025. In 1995 Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao’s amendment tightened visa checks, leading the Home Ministry to deport about 12,000 undocumented persons, a move echoed by Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao’s 2026 request to verify Dhruv Rathee’s citizenship.

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Story summary

Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao wrote to the Home Secretary to verify Dhruv Rathee’s citizenship and visa.
Rathee attended a protest at Freedom Park, Bengaluru on 8 October 2026.
The rally targeted the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision and held a people’s tribunal on voter-list deletions.
Rao requested verification of Rathee’s passport, visa type and any OCI status.
He said the inquiry aimed to ensure compliance with the Foreigners Act, 1946.

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