JAGATSINGHPUR: Jagatsinghpur police has launched an investigation to ascertain any possible terror link of the accused who harboured nearly 30 illegal Bangladeshi nationals in houses built on government land for the last four years.
On Monday, the district administration razed around 17 illegal structures - 10 houses in Behrampur slum and seven unauthorised constructions in Satapura village, which were being used to shelter Bangladeshi infiltrators. The houses were built by encroaching on government land by main accused Sikandar Alam (40) of Dhanipur village. Sikander is at large.
Police sources said Sikandar and his brother Abdul Motalif Khan (38) of Behrampur and sisters Sawan Ajmi (39) of Patkura in Kendrapara, Parween Bibi (34) of Paikakul village and Badrunisha (30) of Dhanipur, were providing shelter to the illegal immigrants. While Sawan and Parween have been arrested, the remaining three accused are on the run.
The incident has exposed serious administrative lapses as the intelligence wing, police and revenue officials could not detect the presence of 30 illegal immigrants in Behrampur and Satapura for the past four years. Besides, the Bangladeshi nationals managed to acquire fraudulent documents such as fake Aadhaar cards and birth certificates.
Police said a hunt is underway for Sikandar who fled after removing hard disks of CCTV cameras. He is suspected of having possible terror links and ties to extremist modules. Investigators have found that for nearly a decade, he worked in the merchant navy and an oil refinery, travelling to at least five countries. He was also running an unregistered madrasa in his village.
Preliminary investigation suggested that Sikandar facilitated the illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals, provided them shelter, and allegedly involved them in unlawful activities. Police also suspect that the women and girls trafficked from Bangladesh were exploited.
A senior police officer said authorities have seized Sikandar’s passport and car, and detained 21 Bangladeshi nationals. Of them, 18 were sent to a detention centre while three have been confirmed as legal residents. Police have also seized condoms, fake Aadhaar cards suspected to be sourced from West Bengal, and pregnancy test kits. “We are examining Sikandar’s possible terror links,” the officer added.
Raghunathpur tehsildar Rajlaxmi Nayak said show-cause notices have been issued to the local revenue inspector Manikanta Biswal and supervisor Rashmiranjan Behera. Their salaries have also been stopped.