The government has sought to know if there was a specific complaint and the nature of it that led the police to conduct a verification of the identity cards of migrant workers in Kodagu on Thursday.
The Kodagu police, who clarified that it was a “routine process” and denied any link to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or the National Population Register (NPR), is expected to submit the details to the government by Monday.
Held in the backdrop of the ongoing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC, the drive had triggered speculation that it was part of the NRC and had drawn flak.
P. Manivannan, Secretary, Department of Labour, said he had sought a few clarifications as it pertained to workers and wished to know whether it was done last year as well and the reason behind it.
Kodagu Superintendent of Police Suman D. Pennekar said on Thursday that the ID verification was conducted following a few crimes by some of migrant workers in the past and as tracing the accused had become a difficult task.
Though the verification is conducted at the local station level every year, the police decided to do an online check and had asked workers to assemble at a centralised place, she stated.
Mr. Manivannan said if there was a specific complaint, then the police had the powers to check and he wished to know the nature of the complaint.
“In case there was a complaint following which the police acted, it does not amount to any violation of rights,” he said.
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said the ID check pertained to the Police Department and no report had been sought from the district administration.
