BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has issued a high alert in all its coastal districts to check possible influx of immigrants from trouble-torn Bangladesh.
A senior officer at state police headquarters said measures are being taken to enhance security along the coastline in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Ganjam districts to thwart any infiltration bid through the sea route.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Sanjay Kumar told TNIE, SPs of the vulnerable districts have been instructed to keep a strict vigil along the coast and the sea for suspicious movements. Roads connecting the neighbouring West Bengal will also be monitored.
“All the 18 marine police stations in the state have been kept on high alert. The SPs of all the coastal districts are directed to put extra manpower near the coast to curb any infiltration attempt,” Kumar said.
Over 10 fast interceptor boats have been deployed to patrol the coastline. Local fishermen have also been asked to remain vigilant and inform the police if they notice movement of any suspicious boat along the coast.
“ADG (coastal security) Rajesh Kumar is coordinating with Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) officials and patrolling has been intensified in the vulnerable districts. A 24-hour control room has also been set up at coastal security wing office in Bhubaneswar to coordinate with all agencies for proper monitoring and dealing with emergent situation,” Kumar added.
Navy and ICG officials also said they have enhanced patrolling along Odisha’s coastline. The state government has called a high-level meeting of multiple agencies on Thursday to discuss preventive measures to check any possible influx of Bangladeshi immigrants. Home Department additional chief secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh will the chair the meeting in the presence of DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi, ADG law and order, ADG coastal security and senior officials of navy and ICG.
The coastal districts nearer to Bangladesh, particularly Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore and Bhadrak, have been vulnerable to infiltration. The immigrants take small boats or fishing trawlers to sail to Odisha and sneak into the districts. Thousands of illegal immigrants have already settled in the districts.
While there has been no recent survey of the Bangladeshi nationals staying in Odisha, the last enumeration way back in 2015 said there were 3,987 people residing in the state. As many as 1,551 people in Kendrapara district were also served quit India notice in 2005 which has still not been acted upon.
Police sources expressed particular concern over the jail-breaks happening in the neighbouring country with hundreds of inmates escaping from them. “Hundreds of criminals have escaped from jails in Bangladesh and this our major concern as many may attempt to take the sea route to enter Odisha,” an officer said.