The Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi, announced on February 23, 2026, that the state has carried out a major Odisha deportation drive, resulting in the removal of 73 Bangladeshi nationals over the past year. This Odisha police action follows a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs issued in May 2025, mandating the identification of Bangladeshi infiltrators across the state as part of a broader national security initiative.
Cause of Odisha Deportation
Speaking during a session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Majhi explained that authorities conducted extensive identity verification and Indian citizenship verification of 2,261 individuals suspected of foreign nationality. Of these, 2,184 were confirmed as Indian citizens and released after due scrutiny. The remaining 77 were identified as Bangladeshi nationals, with 73 already deported under the ongoing Bhubaneswar deportation and state wide enforcement drive.
The Chief Minister stated that the verification process involved detailed examination of official documents to prevent passport fraud and other irregularities. Investigations revealed that two individuals had fraudulently obtained Indian passports. Following legal proceedings, both were jailed. Significant verification activity was carried out in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Jagatsinghpur, and Kandhamal, highlighting the scale of the deportation and citizenship scrutiny campaign.
The issue has sparked political debate, particularly after objections from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Mamata Banerjee objection centers on concerns that such verification drives could lead to harassment of genuine residents, especially migrant workers. In previous Jharsuguda detentions, 444 suspected Bangladeshis, mostly construction workers from West Bengal, were held for verification, drawing interstate political attention.
As the Odisha government continues its Indian citizenship verification process, deportation proceedings remain underway for the remaining identified individuals. The developments reflect the broader administrative, legal, and political complexities surrounding cross border migration, documentation scrutiny, and coordinated enforcement under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, February 24th, 2026
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