Odisha: Man Accused of Sheltering Bangladeshi Infiltrators Arrested After Week-Long Manhunt

Bhubaneswar: After evading police for a week, Sikandar Alam accused of providing shelter to Bangladeshi infiltrators was arrested by Jagatsinghpur Police from Jajpur district on Saturday. Police officials said multiple surveillance-based traps were laid across several locations before his movements were tracked and he was finally apprehended.

During the operation, police seized several key documents from Sikandar, including his passport. Investigators suspect he may have foreign links, as he had allegedly built illegal houses on government land in Jagatsinghpur’s Beherampur slum and was reportedly providing refuge to Bangladeshi nationals. Sources said his activities may be connected to a broader network operating in the region.

Sikandar is currently being held at an undisclosed location for intensive interrogation. His son and a close associate were earlier detained for questioning as part of the ongoing probe.

The arrest comes amid a heightened crackdown on suspected Bangladeshi immigrants in Jagatsinghpur district. Just a day earlier, authorities carried out demolition drives targeting makeshift houses illegally erected on government land by suspected foreign nationals. Several structures were razed during the operation.

The action is part of a larger statewide push, with Odisha intensifying verification, eviction, and demolition drives aimed at identifying individuals living without valid documentation. Officials said these operations will continue under the state’s zero-tolerance approach toward unauthorized foreign settlers.