2 min readJammuAug 10, 2026 09:58 PM IST
A four-member central committee on demographic change arrived in Jammu and Kashmir for a three-day visit Monday to evaluate claims of unnatural demographic shifts and security implications in sensitive border districts. This comes at a time when there are rising concerns about undocumented Rohingyas and Bangladeshi settlers in the Union Territory.
The Committee on Demographic Change, headed by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, met the UT’s Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, and, over the course of its visit, will hold meetings with various stakeholders, including political parties.
The visit comes a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a high-powered demography mission to tackle “illegal infiltration” in border regions. The central government set up a committee in May this year to study demographic changes.
According to sources, the panel will focus on border areas and localities in Jammu division with reported undocumented settlements, review current verification protocols, and frame mechanisms for identification. Several right-wing groups have raised concerns about alleged undocumented workers in Jammu. Although there are no official numbers, officials estimate there are around 13,700 across Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, with police and other government agencies routinely conducting verification of UN mission documents.
Officials allege that several Rohingyas have been found in possession of ration cards and the now-defunct permanent resident certificates issued by revenue officials. Police also claim to have detained small groups of Bangladeshi migrants from time to time. Last week, a group of 21 alleged Bangladeshi nationals was detained at Ramban while on its way to the Kashmir Valley.
Infiltration or illegal immigration from Bangladesh has always been high on the BJP’s agenda and has been an emotive issue in this year’s Assam and West Bengal elections.
In his Independence Day address last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the “threat” of infiltration or illegal immigration and announced a mission to check “demographic change”.