In a significant crackdown on illegal immigration, the Odisha government has identified 77 Bangladeshi nationals residing unlawfully in the state. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi revealed this in the Odisha Assembly on Monday, responding to a question from BJP MLA Padma Lochan Panda.
The identification drive was conducted statewide following guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). CM Majhi detailed that instructions were issued to all district Superintendents of Police via MHA letter dated May 2, 2025, urging accelerated detection of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
Police teams meticulously verified documents of 2,261 suspects across the state. Of these, 2,184 were confirmed as Indian citizens and released after credential checks. The remaining 77 were pinpointed as illegal Bangladeshi entrants, with concentrations in urban areas like Bhubaneswar (26), Cuttack (14), and Jagatsinghpur (21).
Swift action followed: 73 of the identified individuals have already been deported to Bangladesh. Two others, who fraudulently obtained Indian passports using forged documents, face separate criminal cases and court proceedings. Deportation processes for the final two from Bhubaneswar are underway.
CM Majhi emphasized the state government’s intensified efforts to detect and expel illegal foreign nationals. Odisha Police have been directed to scrutinize suspects thoroughly, including financial transactions, communication records, and digital footprints to ascertain nationality.
This operation underscores Odisha’s commitment to border security and lawful residency, setting a precedent for proactive immigration enforcement amid rising concerns over cross-border infiltration.