Bhubaneswar: Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Tuesday reiterated that the Odisha government is adopting a zero-tolerance approach toward Bangladeshi nationals living in the state without valid documents, noting that an extensive identification drive is already in motion. He made it clear that anyone detected staying illegally will be located, monitored and eventually deported through coordinated action with central agencies.
The minister’s remarks come amid intensified operations by Odisha Police across several districts, including Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Keonjhar. In Bhadrak, police detained 17 individuals suspected to be Bangladeshi citizens near the local bus stand after their movements reportedly aroused suspicion. Officials later stated that the group had arrived from Murshidabad in West Bengal before being intercepted during routine checking.
Parallel action unfolded in Jagatsinghpur, where district authorities pulled down a cluster of allegedly illegal houses at Beherampur Basti. The structures were linked to Sikandar Alam, who is accused of providing shelter to undocumented migrants and engaging them as labourers. The demolition drive was conducted under the close supervision of senior district officials.
Harichandan emphasized that Odisha has bolstered coastal security measures, with police units and the Coast Guard placed on heightened alert to prevent fresh infiltration attempts. Surveillance has also been tightened across sensitive border and shoreline areas.
According to official sources, the recent detentions and demolitions mark only the beginning of a broader state-wide crackdown. The government has maintained that unauthorized settlers will not be permitted to remain in Odisha and that all deportation processes will be carried out in accordance with legal protocols.
