Bhubaneswar. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in the Assembly on Monday that his government has directed all district magistrates and superintendents of police to identify Bangladeshi intruders. In a written reply to a question by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bhaskar Madhei, Majhi said instructions have been issued to form committees of officials from tehsils, blocks and police stations to identify intruders in various places, especially in Kendrapara district where most of the “illegal entrants” are said to be staying.
In another statement made in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said that till the year 2021, a total of 3,740 Bangladeshi intruders were living illegally in the state. He informed that out of these illegal intruders, 1,649 live in Kendrapara district, 1,112 in Jagatsinghpur, 655 in Malkangiri, 199 in Bhadrak, 106 in Nabarangpur, 17 people live in Khurda district and two persons in Bargarh district. Majhi told the Assembly that a proposal to send them back to their country is under consideration of the government. According to the Chief Minister, in view of the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh, strict security measures have been taken in Odisha to prevent infiltration from there. Replying to a question by opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Bibhuti Bhushan Balwantray, Majhi said that the state’s maritime border is being patrolled at regular intervals and strict vigil is being maintained.
The Chief Minister informed the House that the National Population Register card reader machine provided by the Home Ministry is being used to identify Indian and foreign citizens. He said that apart from this, the Superintendents of Police of all the coastal districts of Odisha have been directed to remain vigilant and increase patrolling on the waterways to prevent Bangladeshi intruders.
The Chief Minister said the state intelligence wing has also directed its officers to remain in touch with fishermen’s associations and fishing boat owners’ bodies to gather information about intruders. He said a total of 18 marine police stations are active in the state and 15 high-speed interceptor boats have been provided to the police under a central scheme.