Seven more suspected Bangladeshis identified in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur; total rises to 20

Authorities in Jagatsinghpur district have detected seven additional suspected Bangladeshi nationals during ongoing verification drives, bringing the total to 20. Sources said the identity document scrutiny is still in progress and warned that the figure could increase as checks expand to more locations.

Meanwhile, reports added that the 13 persons traced earlier were shifted to a central shelter home in Athagarh of Cuttack district for further interrogation.

The latest group will undergo the same screening before any legal action is initiated under immigration rules. The administration has not released names or specific locations linked to the new detections, citing ongoing verification.

Arrest of Alleged Facilitator

The spike in enforcement follows the recent arrest of Sikandar Alam, whom police believe to be a key facilitator, allegedly offering illegal shelter to foreign nationals. He was traced to Jajpur after remaining absconding for a week, and officers deployed multiple decoy and surveillance-based traps before detaining him.

Sources stated that police seized documents, including his passport, and are examining whether Sikandar is linked to a wider network that helped undocumented persons settle on encroached land.

He is being interrogated at a secure location, and earlier, his son and a close associate were also picked up for questioning.

Illegal Structures Demolished; Some Vacate Voluntarily

Alongside identity checks, the district administration has stepped up demolition of makeshift homes built on government land in areas such as Berhampur and Dhanipur. Several temporary structures, believed to have been occupied by suspected Bangladeshi nationals, were razed over the past week.

The ongoing drive has reportedly pushed some residents to dismantle their own dwellings voluntarily, fearing eviction. Many of those structures had reportedly existed for years without authorisation.

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Next Steps Under Legal Procedure

Those currently housed at the central facility will undergo document verification, questioning, and biometric checks wherever required, informed district officials. The administration will then decide on prosecution, deportation process, or continued housing under government supervision, depending on each case.

More raids, questioning of alleged facilitators, and verification rounds are expected in the coming days as police probe possible local networks that may have supported undocumented migration and illegal occupation of government land.

For now, the confirmed figure stands at 20 suspected Bangladeshi nationals identified in Jagatsinghpur, as district-wide checks continue to expand.