Odisha: Police raids across five districts amid crackdown on suspected infiltrators

Odisha Police carried out coordinated raids across five districts on Tuesday as part of an intensified operation targeting suspected infiltrators, officials said. The crackdown followed the demolition of a house in Jagatsinghpur district that was alleged to have sheltered suspected Bangladeshi nationals.

The action coincided with a 12-hour bandh called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Keonjhar, which disrupted normal life and demanded the immediate eviction of individuals suspected of residing in the state illegally. Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the Odisha government, in line with directives from the Union government, has begun identifying illegal residents from Bangladesh. “We will take legal action and evict all those found staying illegally,” he asserted.

Raids were conducted in Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Puri districts throughout the day. In Bhadrak, 17 people were detained, while Jagatsinghpur police arrested four individuals and questioned several others after recovering weapons, including a pistol, from the demolished property. In Jagatsinghpur’s Tirtol police station area, around 20 residents of rented accommodations in Rahama were interrogated regarding their identities, occupations and length of stay in Odisha.

Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh said all police stations had been instructed to maintain heightened vigilance, following reports that some suspects may have fled during the Jagatsinghpur raid.

“We have asked all police stations in Puri district to identify persons suspected to be Bangladeshi infiltrators. However, till Tuesday evening, none have been identified,” he said.

The VHP-led bandh in Keonjhar resulted in the closure of shops, markets, schools, colleges and disrupted vehicular movement. Picketing along National Highway-20 left vehicles stranded in Champua, Joda, Barbil, Patana, Ghasipura and Anandapur, though the day passed without major law-and-order incidents.

Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Brijesh Rai, who visited Keonjhar during the bandh, described the situation as peaceful and confirmed that the police remained on high alert in response to concerns over alleged infiltration.

The raids and accompanying public demonstrations underscore Odisha’s ongoing efforts to identify and take action against individuals living in the state without legal permission, reflecting growing attention on cross-border security concerns.

With PTI Inputs