Bhubaneswar, May 18 (IANS) Odisha government has declared the branch office of the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in Bhubaneswar as a police station.

The state Home Department accorded the police station status through a notification signed by Satyabrata Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary.

The notification in this regard was issued on May 17. As per the notification, the state government exercising the powers conferred under Section 2 (1) (u) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023) has declared the NIA office located in VSS Nagar area of Bhubaneswar as a Police station with the whole of Odisha falling under its jurisdiction.

The NIA office has been designated as a police station for the investigation of scheduled offences under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), for exercising the powers under the provisions of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023).

The Odisha Home Department notification further noted that the order will come into force on the date of publication of this notification in the Odisha Gazette.

The NIA office, headed by a Superintendent of Police, In-Charge, is located at Vani Vihar (Near Tarini Pitha) in the VSS Nagar area of the city.

With this notification, the counter-terrorism agency that reports to the Union Home Ministry will formally open the office, which has been designated as a police station by the state government on May 17.

Odisha has several vital installations of national importance like the Integrated Test Range (ITR) – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chandipur, off the Odisha coast, Ordnance factory at Badmal in Balangir, Paradip Port and the famous Jagannath Temple at Puri.

Due to its 480 km-long coastline and proximity to Bangladesh, Odisha is vulnerable to terrorist activities as well.

Odisha is also reportedly witnessing a heavy influx of illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi citizens.

–IANS

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