'They asked for Aadhaar cards': Bengal laborer lynched in Odisha
What's the story
A migrant worker from West Bengal's Murshidabad district was beaten to death in Odisha's Sambalpur on Wednesday night. The victim, Jewel Sheikh, was a resident of Chakbahadurpur village, and six people have been arrested in connection with the incident. His family and co-workers alleged that he was attacked on suspicion of being an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant. However, the Odisha Police denied these claims, stating that the accused and Jewel knew each other.
Attack
Incident occurred at tea stall in Shantinagar
The incident took place at a tea stall in the Shantinagar area while Jewel was returning from work. Paltu Sheikh, one of the construction laborers from Murshidabad who was with Jewel at the time of the incident, alleged that a group of people first asked the victim for a bidi. Then, they demanded Aadhaar cards from Jewel and other workers and started thrashing them. Jewel was hit on the head and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Details
Victim's mother demands justice
Jewel's mother, Nagima Bibi, demanded justice for her son, who she said was called a Bangladeshi before being beaten to death. She said Jewel had gone to work in Odisha as a mason on December 20 and was supposed to work there for three months. "Now his body will return," she added. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged that Bengali migrants are being targeted in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
MP's statement
TMC MP criticizes BJP for alleged violence against migrants
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam said, "This is happening non-stop in BJP-ruled Odisha. Illegal detentions, assaults in the name of Bangladeshi identification, and now the lynching of a poor migrant worker." "BJP has blood on its hands," he added, and also promised support to Jewel's family. Moreover, migrant workers' groups have called for compensation for Jewel's family, demanded better protection for Bengali laborers working outside West Bengal.