Jagatsinghpur: A Bangladeshi family has been detained in Paradip amid a statewide crackdown on illegal immigrants. The family, consisting of a man, a woman, and two children (a boy and a girl), reportedly entered India via water route through the Sundarbans and reached Kolkata before travelling by bus to Odisha.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Paradip Lock police, the family was brought to Paradip by an unidentified local man who arranged rented accommodation for them in Jaradari Pada. The police, acting on intelligence inputs, detained the family during a routine verification drive and took them to the police station for questioning. During the interrogation, it was revealed that they had entered India without valid documents and were attempting to settle in Paradip.

Officials, including Kujang Tehsildar and the local Sub-Collector, have visited the police station and recorded detailed information about the case. The government has also been informed. A medical team from Atharbanki examined the health of the family members, including the minor children.

Reports said the family claimed they had fled Bangladesh due to alleged abuse and torture, seeking refuge in India. The man from Jaradari Pada reportedly promised them employment opportunities and shelter in Paradip, raising suspicions about a possible human trafficking or illegal immigration network.

Multiple concerns have emerged, including how the local man came into contact with the family, whether there was prior communication, and whether more Bangladeshi nationals were being housed or brought in similarly. Police are now investigating these angles and suspect that more such individuals may be living under fake identities.

There are fears that a racket facilitating the infiltration and settlement of Bangladeshi nationals in coastal Odisha might be operating actively. After reaching Paradip, many of these individuals are believed to be obtaining fake identity documents and working in fisheries or industrial units. Jagatsinghpur district, after Kendrapara, is suspected to have one of the highest concentrations of Bangladeshi migrants.

This is the first such case identified during the ongoing verification drive in Jagatsinghpur district, and authorities believe more such cases may come to light as the investigation continues.

Police have kept the identities of the family confidential due to the minors and have intensified their efforts to trace the network that facilitated their entry and settlement.