Bengal police verify 750 migrant workers detained across states
Times of India | 12 July 2025
Kolkata: Bengal police have carried out around 750 verifications in one and a half months for migrant workers from the state detained across the country. With no data available from states regarding the detained migrant workers, police had to rely on inputs from labour boards, the Karmasathi portal, local representatives, MLAs, family members, and sometimes the contractors who had employed the workers, sources said.
"Once informed of a detention, we confirm it with the state concerned. However, in most cases, the SP or state police headquarters do not respond. So, we are contacting district magistrates. Once confirmation of detention arrives, we ask local police to visit the residences and local panchayat offices of the detained workers," said a source at Bhawani Bhawan.
As Aadhaar cards are not being accepted by the local cops, police here are collecting alternate documents to prove the citizenship of the detainees, said a source. "While a birth certificate is the most useful document, we are also collecting land deeds, details of voter cards of their parents (or grandparents), and sending them back to the local police through the DM office of that state concerned. Several days are being wasted going through these multiple channels. Requests to inform us in case of detentions are also being ignored. While dealing with the Rajasthan Police was comparatively easy, both the Mumbai and Delhi Police were almost inaccessible. Odisha Police carried out the largest number of detentions at multiple centres," said the source. A special cell is also being set up for the verification process, the source added.
Cops cited the example of Ajimuddin Sheikh (22), a mason from Birbhum who was detained in Odisha. "When we showed them our voter ID cards and Aadhaar cards, the police there said they were not genuine. They wanted birth certificates and school documents. They even seized our phones and checked for phone numbers from Bangladesh," claimed Sheikh.