In a significant operation, the Special Task Force (STF) in Bhubaneswar has apprehended 10 Bangladeshi nationals who entered India illegally without visas or passports. The arrested individuals, comprised of six men, three women, and their agent, were caught at Bhubaneswar Railway Station while travelling by an express train from Bengaluru.
The group is linked to a human trafficking syndicate led by an agent named Mohammad Hasim, a resident of Bengaluru. The individuals have been identified as Md. Hasim (46), Sojib Khan (24), Allam Shaika (41), Md. Azeem (40), Dilara Sheikh (45), Md. Soha (36), Karima Begum (25), Monira Begum (30), Sahana Begum (45), and a 14-year-old juvenile. Hasim facilitated their illegal entry by providing them with counterfeit Aadhaar cards, essential for their stay in India.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Hasim orchestrated the illegal entry of these individuals by assisting them in crossing the border from Assam’s Dhuburi region and subsequently planning their onward journey to Bengaluru. The STF also seized both Indian and Bangladeshi currency from the suspects.
Following a tip-off from confidential sources regarding the presence of illegal immigrants without valid documentation in Odisha, a team of STF officers conducted a raid at the Bhubaneswar Railway Station platform.
“Upon interrogation, they disclosed that they were from Bangladesh and had crossed the border illegally through their agent near the Dhubri border (Assam) to reside in Bhubaneswar. During their personal search, seven mobile phones, some Bangladeshi currency notes, and Indian currency notes were recovered and seized from their possession,” the STF reported on Sunday.
The STF arrested the 10 Bangladeshi nationals, consisting of six males, three females, and a juvenile, following the raid, registering a case in this regard on Sunday.
“As these Bangladeshi nationals entered India without passports, visas, or any travel documents, suppressing their real identities, they are liable under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act 1946,” the authorities stated.
A case under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act 1946 has been filed against them, with all accused persons arrested and forwarded to judicial custody.
The juvenile was handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board, while the remaining suspects were sent to Jharpada jail. Police have confirmed that the arrest of Hasim, along with the information obtained from him, will aid in uncovering the larger network of agents involved in illegal immigration across India’s borders.
The STF is continuing its investigation to dismantle the syndicate facilitating the unlawful entry of Bangladeshi nationals into India, focusing on preventing further breaches of border security. Authorities are coordinating with various security agencies across the country to apprehend other agents operating in different regions.
It is important to note that in 2024, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the state assembly that a total of 3,740 Bangladeshi infiltrators were living illegally in the state as of 2021. He revealed that, among these infiltrators, 1,649 resided in Kendrapara district, followed by 1,112 in Jagatsinghpur, 655 in Malkangiri, 199 in Bhadrak, 106 in Nabarangpur, 17 in Bhubaneswar (Khurda district), and two in Bargarh district.
CM Majhi also stated in the assembly that a directive had been issued to form committees consisting of officers from tehsils, blocks, and police stations to identify infiltrators residing in various locations across the state.
Notably, recent incidents involving the seizure of SIM boxes in the capital city and Cuttack have highlighted the involvement of Bangladeshis. A Bangladeshi minor was also identified in Cuttack. Illegal immigration has become a serious issue for the state, as these individuals have entered Odisha without passports and are attempting to travel to other countries using forged documents. Obtaining passports from other countries is challenging with Bangladeshi identification. Some of these immigrants have even travelled to Pakistan using Indian passports, allegedly establishing connections with terrorists. A few years ago, several Bangladeshi passports came to light, with 10 to 11 being seized by Nyaapalli Police Station.
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