KENDRAPARA: Police on Wednesday detained four suspected Bangladeshi nationals who were reportedly residing illegally in Kendrapara town.
Acting on a tip-off, police summoned 40 suspected Bangladeshis staying in some rented houses at Dilarapur, Ranapada, Mirapatana and Kajala in Kendrapara town on Tuesday. Their citizenship documents were checked in the police station. Of them, 36 were let off after they produced Aadhaar and voter ID cards besides residential papers. The rest four reportedly could not produce any valid citizenship document and were detained.
Kendrapara Town IIC Dilip Sahoo said the action was taken following directions from the state government. Four suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators have been detained for questioning. Further investigation is underway.
On the other hand, some political parties criticised the district administration over the action and claimed those detained were migrant workers from West Bengal. Secretary of the district unit of CPM Gayadhar Dhal alleged that police were harassing migrant labourers from West Bengal with an ulterior motive. The administration is wrongfully targeting people based on their language and appearance, he claimed.
Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had directed the Kendrapara administration to take strict legal action against illegal immigrants of Bangladesh residing in the district during a review meeting on June 9.
In March, the chief minister had also informed the Assembly that 3,738 Bangladeshi infiltrators were identified in the state of whom the highest 1,649 were residing in Kendrapara.