Bhubaneswar, Dec 2: Police in Odisha carried out major crackdowns in two districts, detaining several suspected Bangladeshi nationals. The operations were conducted late Tuesday night in Jagatsinghpur’s Tarikunda Dariapur area and Bhadrak’s Basudevpur region.

In Jagatsinghpur, a team led by the Additional SP and SDPO raided Dariapur basti following intelligence inputs about foreign nationals residing in a local madrasa. A platoon of police force was deployed during the operation. Over 20 suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including minors, were detained and later shifted to the Bagalpur shelter home. Police sources said that more than 10 individuals managed to escape during the raid, and efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.

Officials revealed that some of the detained individuals had been brought to the madrasa only a few days ago. The sudden presence of foreign nationals in the settlement had raised concerns, prompting the police action.

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Meanwhile, in Bhadrak district, eight suspected Bangladeshi nationals were detained in Basudevpur police station limits. Acting on the instructions of SP Manoj Raut, police raided areas including Choudhurisahi and Balinagar Sahi. The detainees had reportedly been living in the locality for a long time, earning their livelihood by selling goods in nearby villages under the guise of hawkers.

Police are currently verifying their identity documents, including Aadhaar and other papers, to ascertain their nationality. Officials said that the investigation will determine whether they were residing illegally and what further legal action needs to be taken.

The twin crackdowns highlight growing concerns over illegal migration and settlement in sensitive areas of Odisha.