Odisha Police arrested prime suspect Sikandar Alam and his younger brother Motilal for harbouring illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators and maintaining suspected terrorist links.
The arrests followed a week-long manhunt after a dramatic raid in Jagatsinghpur district.
On November 16, Superintendent of Police Ankit Kumar Verma and District Collector J. Sonal acted on intelligence reports and visited Behramapur near Tarikunda. In the presence of a magistrate, officials demolished an unauthorised structure built on government land. During the operation, police discovered Bangladeshi nationals living unlawfully. Moreover, officers seized a firearm, deadly weapons, a laptop, a passport, photographs, an Aadhaar card, and mobile phones from Sikandar’s residence.
Sikandar and his associates resisted the police and escaped that night. Consequently, officers launched a nighttime operation, detained several Bangladeshi individuals, and forwarded two to court the next day.
Meanwhile, SP Verma formed three special teams to track the fugitives. On Saturday, police captured Sikandar in Jajpur and arrested Motilal in Khordha. Investigators linked Sikandar to Bangladesh and suspected terrorist elements abroad. Therefore, authorities intensified interrogation at the Jagatsinghpur police barracks to uncover motives, accomplices, and the purpose behind sheltering infiltrators.
Sources revealed that the duo attempted to flee the country via waterway, using a boat from Dhamra port in Bhadrak district. Following the arrests, police conducted medical examinations and prepared to produce them in court.
In addition, police bulldozed temporary structures on November 17, while locals dismantled remaining houses occupied by Bangladeshis later that week. Officers also detained nearby residents at a cyclone shelter in Bagalpur for questioning, which led to two more arrests.
Ultimately, SP Verma constituted a special squad to handle the case. Authorities stressed the operation’s importance in addressing infiltration and security threats in Odisha’s coastal district and assured that full details will emerge after the investigation.
