The Odisha Police have officially informed the family of Muntaz Khan that he and his two elderly siblings were deported to Bangladesh on December 24, more than a month after they went missing following their detention in Kendrapara district. In a written notice, the police said 63-year-old Muntaz, his 59-year-old brother Insaan Khan, and 70-year-old sister Ameena Bibi were identified as Bangladeshi nationals after “due verification” and handed over to the Border Security Force at Seemanagar, West Bengal, before being transferred to Bangladeshi authorities.
The family had been kept in the dark about the siblings’ whereabouts, prompting widespread concern. Muntaz’s son, Mukhtar Khan, who was released earlier, said, “We have to go to court, but we don’t know who will help us,” highlighting the distress and helplessness the family feels.
The Odisha Police maintained that the deportation followed Union Home Ministry guidelines issued in May, which require suspected undocumented immigrants to be given 30 days to prove their citizenship, with verification sought from the person’s home state. The police said authorities in West Bengal were contacted to verify the family’s claims, but no confirmation was received. However, Purba Medinipur Superintendent of Police Mitun Kumar Dey denied any such request, saying, “I completely rule out the claim of Odisha police. There is no official email or message.”
The police justified their actions by claiming that the family patriarch, Yasin Khan, had migrated from Bangladesh in the 1970s, making the siblings Bangladeshi nationals. The family disputes this, presenting documents including land records from 1956 showing Yasin as a cultivator in Purba Medinipur, voter lists, Aadhaar cards, and other official papers. Neighbours and the village chief also said the family has been in Garapur for over 60 years.
The incident began on November 27, when the Odisha Police detained 12 members of the family from Garapur village during a survey targeting suspected Bangladeshi nationals. Nine were later released, including Mukhtar, while the three elderly siblings disappeared from custody. Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kataria told Scroll on January 14 that the trio had “confessed” to being Bangladeshi and were handed over to the BSF as per procedure.
This is at least the second case of Bengali Muslim families being deported from Odisha in recent months. In December, 14 family members, including a 90-year-old woman, were forced into Bangladesh, raising concerns about violations of central guidelines and denial of due process in BJP-ruled states.
Mukhtar Khan highlighted the family’s struggle, saying, “All our evidence was dismissed. We are worried about our elders in Bangladesh and don’t know what will happen to them.” The family now faces a long legal battle to seek justice and reunite with their loved ones.
