20-year-old Bengali migrant ‘branded as Bangladeshi’ lynched in Odisha

SUTI (MURSHIDABAD): A 20-year-old villager from Suti, the only son of his parents, who went to work as a mason in Odisha’s Sambalpur just five days ago — his first job outside Bengal — was on Tuesday night lynched by a mob that accused him of being a Bangladeshi.

Two other Bengal migrant workers who were with him are also injured and their condition remains critical. Odisha police have arrested six persons in connection with the incident.


In a written complaint to Suti police, Juel Rana’s mother, Nazma Bibi, stated that her son had left for Sambalpur on Dec 20. “On Dec 24, at 8:30pm, I received a call that some seven or eight locals had attacked my son and his colleagues close to where they lived in Odisha. They accused them of being Bengali-speaking Bangladeshis and threatened to beat them to death.

While saying this, they aggressively assaulted my son and his colleagues with sticks, iron rods and sharp weapons. My son died at the spot and those with him are currently undergoing medical treatment,” she said.

Juel’s father, Ziaul Haque, is also a mason now working in Kerala.

Odisha police said the clash occurred at an under-construction building in Danipali when local youths reportedly approached the workers for bidis. An altercation broke out and spiralled after the youths allegedly demanded to see the workers’ Aadhaar cards. The confrontation soon turned violent.

“One person died, and two others were injured. Police raided several locations and arrested six persons. Anyone else found involved will also be arrested,” Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamu said.

Naushad Ali, a Murshidabad youth who witnessed the assault, said, “The workers were sitting near a bonfire when a group of local youths approached them for bidis. After taking the bidis, they accused the workers of being from Bangladesh and began assaulting them.”

Local Suti block administration officers, police and Trinamool MLA Imani Biswas visited Juel’s mother at their Chakbahadurpur home on Thursday. Biswas alleged that the assaulters had asked the workers to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. “We are trying to bring the body home as soon as possible,” the MLA said.

The incident has heightened fear among Bengali-speaking labourers in Sambalpur. Majhar Khan, also a mason, said they are often mistaken for Bangladeshis and targeted. “People suspect us, call us Bangladeshis and attack us. We request the state govt to provide us immediate protection,” he said.

Bengal migrant welfare board chairperson Samirul Islam said, “Once again, Bengali-speaking migrant workers have been targeted in a BJP-governed state. BJP goons attacked them and labelled them as Bangladeshi infiltrators. How many lives of innocent Bengali-speaking people does BJP want? This is nothing but another example of how BJP treats Bengalis.”

Speaking to reporters, state minister Shahsi Panja said, “Bengali-speaking migrant labourers in BJP-governed states are being continuously targeted, tortured, and killed. Why are BJP netas silent? Why do such heinous crimes continue to happen relentlessly?”

Odisha inspector general of police, Himanshu Lal, however claimed the violence stemmed from a monetary dispute and suddenly escalated. “All six accused have been arrested and further scientific investigation is underway,” he said, adding that the incident had no communal or linguistic angle.

(Written with TNN inputs from Sambalpur, Odisha)


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