Migrant workers from West Bengal allege ill-treatment by Odisha Police
Over the past three days, the Jharsuguda police have detained 444 people working in the construction and mining sectors, verifying their identities as part of an ongoing drive to deport Bangladeshis and Rohingiyas from the country. According to the police, the primary documents being sought are birth certificates and passports.
Also read: Trinamool claims migrant workers from Bengal illegally detained in Odisha
However, many of the detained workers hail from rural areas of West Bengal and do not possess formal birth certificates. In the absence of this key document, their release is being delayed.
Alternate document delays
'My brother-in-law is 37 years old. No one from our locality used to apply for birth certificates at the time of his birth. We never imagined that one day we would be asked to produce a birth certificate to prove our Indian nationality,' said the relative of a detained migrant worker.
As detentions drag on, anxious family members say they have submitted land documents from Murshidabad and Hooghly, and their relatives' Aadhaar cards in an attempt to secure their release. However, police are reportedly slow in processing these alternative proofs.
Employers endorsement needed
Workers who spoke to The Hindu did so on the condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals from the police.
'We were picked up at 2:30 a.m. They took away our phones, so we could not immediately inform our families. They handed out forms requiring supporting documents like a birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and voter ID. Luckily, I managed to get my birth certificate sent to me. I was released after two days,' said a worker who was freed on Wednesday (July 9, 2025).
Following their release, the workers were allowed to return to their local residences and jobs, where they are employed as masons, mining labourers, and tile workers. However, employers have also reportedly been asked by the police to submit video evidence confirming their association with the detained individuals.
'Dignity was missing'
'Conditions in the holding centres were described as worse than jail. For nearly 500 migrant workers, there were only three bathrooms,' said a worker.
'The day began with a cup of red tea, followed by dry flattened rice and jaggery for breakfast. There were no plates provided — dignity was missing. Lunch was served at 2:30 p.m. and dinner at 11:30 p.m., usually rice and dalma (dal cooked with vegetables). We were not allowed to arrange food from outside. We did not commit any crime to be treated like this,' said one worker.
The Odisha police remained tight-lipped about their detention of migrant workers from West Bengal. Queries sent to Himanshu Lal, Inspector General of Police (Northern Range), and Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Parmar Smit Parshottamdas yielded no results. Even the designated nodal officer for sharing information on the detained workers refused to comment.
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