Three of nine-member family were deported to Bangladesh for being illegal settlers

The trio has left behind six members of their family who are now in shock and despair

The trio was residents of Garapur village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town.  (File Photo)

KENDRAPARA: Three persons of a nine-member family from Kendrapara have been deported to Bangladesh for being illegal immigrants.

Muntaz Khan (65), Insaan Khan (59) and Ameena Bibi (70) were reportedly residing in the district with their family for the last over four decades. The trio was residents of Garapur village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town. They were deported to Bangladesh on December 24 as per the directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

On Friday, Kendrapara SP Siddharth Kataria said, “All three were illegally staying in Garapur village. Police detained them on November 18 last year as they failed to produce valid citizenship documents. Subsequently, they were deported to Bangladesh by the Centre.”

The trio has left behind six members of their family who are now in shock and despair. Locals too expressed surprise over the deportation. “The three possessed photo identity cards, Aadhaar cards and other documents. We were shocked when the government declared them illegal immigrants and forced them out of India to Bangladesh,” said Sk Sahid (56), a resident of Garapur village.

The SP said action would continue against all illegal immigrants residing in the district without valid documents. “A special team has been formed to identify and take legal action against illegal immigrants. This drive is necessary in the interest of national security. Detection, detention and deportation of foreign nationals staying illegally, including Bangladeshi nationals, is an ongoing process,” he added.

Muntaz Khan and Insaan Khan

Earlier, during a review meeting in Kendrapara on June 9 last year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had directed the district administration and police to take strict legal action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

In March last year, the chief minister had informed the Assembly that 3,738 Bangladeshi infiltrators had been identified across the state. Kendrapara accounted for the highest number at 1,649, followed by Jagatsinghpur (1,112), Malkangiri (655), Bhadrak (199), Nabarangpur (106) and Bhubaneswar (17).

In another written statement tabled in the Assembly on December 3 last year, the chief minister stated that 51 illegal Bangladeshi residents had been traced so far. Of them, 49 have been deported, while two were found using forged passports and are facing criminal proceedings.