Jagatsinghpur/Binjharpur: In a major success, Jagatsinghpur police Saturday arrested the key accused in the illegal stay and settlement of Bangladeshi nationals in the coastal district. The suspect, Sikandar Alam, also known as Siko, had been evading arrest for seven days before being tracked down in Jajpur along with his brother Abdul Motilif Khan, alias Tiki.
Police said the two residents of Dhanipur village under Jagatsinghpur police limits, are accused of orchestrating an attack on officers during an operation to evict undocumented Bangladeshi nationals. They had been on the run since the incident and were arrested in an area under the Alkund police limits in Jajpur district. After police received information that the suspects were hiding in Alkund area, a five-member team led by Special Squad Inspector Shubhrajeet Das, along with Alkund PS Officer-In-Charge Debashish Satapathy, conducted a late-night raid Friday on a house in the area and arrested the two men.
Investigators said the brothers had been planning to flee to a foreign country via a sea route from Dhamra of neighbouring Bhadrak district. Jagatsinghpur police also detained Alam’s son and another relative for questioning. Police seized a passport, photographs, a mobile phone and several documents from Alam during his arrest. Officers said Alam had previously worked in the merchant navy and had links in Balochistan in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He also maintained bank accounts in Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata.
A medical examination was conducted on the two accused before they were produced in court. Notably, police carried out an eviction drive in Jagatsinghpur November 16 following state government orders to remove Bangladeshis allegedly living in the area illegally. Authorities demolished the illegal madrasa in Beherampur Basti along with 10 unauthorised structures, in the presence of the magistrate and sub-collector. During the operation, the accused, who had allegedly sheltered Bangladeshi nationals on government land, stored weapons in their homes and employed them in various illegal activities, led an organised attack on police personnel, officers said. An additional superintendent of police (ASP) and several other officers were injured in the attack, which authorities said was led by two women. Jagatsinghpur police registered a case and launched an investigation.
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