The body of a 19-year-old migrant labourer, who was brutally lynched in Odisha, arrived at his native village in West Bengal on Friday, drawing thousands of mourners and sparking a political controversy over the safety of Bengali-speaking migrants in other states.
A Village in Mourning
Thousands gathered at Bahadurpur village under Suti police station in Murshidabad district as the mortal remains of Jewel Sheikh reached around 10:30 am. People from neighbouring villages also joined the sombre gathering. Local leaders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress were present at the family's residence to offer condolences.
Jewel, the sole earning member for his parents and two sisters, had left home for work in Odisha on December 20. His life was cut short on the evening of December 24 in the Shantinagar area of Sambalpur district, Odisha. Police stated the incident occurred when Jewel, along with seven other co-workers from Murshidabad, was returning from work.
Family's Anguish and Demand for Justice
Speaking to the media, Jewel's mother, Nagima Bibi, expressed her profound grief and anger. "He was the only earning member of our family. He left on December 20. His daily wage was Rs 600. Now his body has arrived at my doorstep. He was beaten up because they labelled him a Bangladeshi. We want justice. We want the harshest punishment for the culprits," she said.
Jewel's uncle, Riaqul Haq, provided a harrowing account based on information from co-workers. "We heard from his co-workers that he was beaten up badly by goons who called them Bangladeshis. They first asked for his Aadhaar card, which he and others produced. Still, he was beaten with bamboo and sticks by the mob," Haq recounted.
Paltu Sheikh, one of the eight migrants present during the attack, described the terrifying sequence of events. "That evening, we had just returned from work and were at a tea stall. A group of people asked Jewel for a bidi. Then they started asking for Aadhaar cards and where we were from. We showed our Aadhaar cards. Suddenly, they came armed with bamboo and sticks and started beating us. Jewel was hit on the head. Others were also injured," he said.
Political Blame Game and Official Response
The incident quickly took a political turn, with the ruling TMC in West Bengal targeting the BJP. Samirul Islam, TMC Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Labour Welfare Board, alleged a pattern of assaults. "This is another example of the plight of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states. Earlier too, in Odisha and other states, migrants have been detained and assaulted. Our party and government stand with Jewel's family," he stated.
Activist Asif Faruk, state general secretary of the Parijayi Sramik Aikya Manch (Migrant Workers Unity Forum), called for systemic change. "There must be a proper mechanism to address repeated assaults and detentions of migrant workers... This must stop, and proper compensation should be given to the family," he urged.
However, the Odisha Police offered a different narrative for the motive. Sambalpur Additional SP Srimanta Barik denied that the assault was based on suspicion of being Bangladeshi. He stated that the migrant workers had been staying in the area for years and knew some locals. "The incident occurred over a demand for a bidi. After the group refused, they were attacked. We have arrested six people and are identifying if others were involved," Barik explained.
This incident occurs against a backdrop where Odisha has detained over 500 migrants from Bengal this year during drives against alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Two other injured workers from Jewel's group, Akir Sheikh and Palash Sheikh, are undergoing treatment at a Sambalpur hospital. The family performed Jewel's last rites on Friday evening, attended by a massive crowd demanding justice for the young labourer.
