Bhubaneswar, March 10 (IANS) The state government has so far identified the presence of 3738 Bangladeshi infiltrators in various districts across Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in the Assembly on Monday.
Answering a question asked by BJP MLA Manas Kumar Dutta, CM Majhi said that as many as 3738 Bangladeshi infiltrators were staying in the coastal state.
Of these, 1649 were staying in Kendrapara, 1112 in Jagatsinghpur, 655 in Malkangiri, 106 in Nabarangpur, 199 in Bhadrak and 17 in Bhubaneswar.
The Chief Minister also informed the house that the state government has directed all the District Collectors and Superintendent of Police to deport the Bangladeshi infiltrators after identifying them by forming a committee with officials from Tehsil, block and Police departments in every district.
CM Majhi also noted that various criminal cases have been registered against 41 Bangladeshi nationals in different parts of Odisha during the past ten years. There are five such cases registered against Bangladeshi nationals in the Balasore district.
Meanwhile, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday held the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government responsible for the unabated infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals into Odisha and other states of the country.
Speaking to the media persons here, Pujari alleged that the West Bengal border with Bangladesh has become the safest passage for infiltration of Bangladeshis into India and illegal transportation of cattle from India into Bangladesh.
Neighbouring West Bengal shares the longest (2,216 kilometres long) border with Bangladesh. It is worth mentioning that the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch has apprehended ten Bangladeshi illegal infiltrators including three females and one juvenile during a raid at Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Saturday.
“On interrogation, they disclosed that they belong to Bangladesh and had crossed the border illegally through their agent near Dhubri border (Assam) and came to Bhubaneswar to reside here. During their personal search seven mobile phones, some Bangladeshi currency notes and Indian currency notes were recovered and seized from their possession,” the STF said on Sunday.
–IANS
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