Massive protests in Bengal's Murshidabad after local migrant found dead in Jharkhand

West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, which has been in the headlines recently for the wrong reasons, witnessed massive protests erupting in its Beldanga area on Friday (January 16) after a local migrant worker was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand.

The deceased, 37-year-old Alauddin Sheikh, was a resident of Sujapur-Kumarpur area of Beldanga and had been working as a hawker in Jharkhand. On Thursday (January 15) morning, the body of the deceased was found hanging in his accommodation.

Family claims murder

According to his family members, Alauddin was thrashed to death, and his body was hanged to make it look like a case of suicide.

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Residents of Alauddin’s village vented anger over his death by taking to the streets after the news broke. Seeking justice over the vendor’s alleged murder, they blocked the nearby National Highway-12, which connects northern and southern Bengal, causing a massive traffic congestion, leaving vehicles and commuters stranded. They also set tyres on fire and demonstrated at the Beldanga railway station, disrupting train services on the busy Sealdah (Kolkata)-Lalgola (Murshidabad) route.

They also linked the case with the growing attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants outside the state, who are often attacked after being labelled as Bangladeshi infiltrators.

“This is not an accidental death. He was targeted because he was a worker from Bengal,” a protester told the media. “We demand immediate arrest and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.”

Media attacked

The protests snowballed, and even mediapersons who went to cover it came under attack. A woman television reporter was injured.

Alauddin had a word with his family for the last time on Wednesday (January 14) afternoon when he sounded nervous while speaking to his mother, Sona Bibi.

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“He told me he could not leave the room and was very scared. He promised to return home if he got a chance. That was the last time we spoke,” she said. “He couldn’t even eat. They killed him and hanged him.”

One villager said, “They asked my son to show his ID card. When they saw the Murshidabad address, he was beaten to death. Why are workers from Murshidabad attacked when they go elsewhere for work? We are part of India too.

“We demand capital punishment for the culprits. We won’t lift the blockade until justice is served.”

State parties slammed

The protesters did not spare Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the main Opposition outfit, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over the alleged lack of security of the migrant workers.

One protester said, “The chief minister must assure us before we end the blockade. Until then, we will not back down. How can we feel safe in our own country?”

Local leader Adhir Chowdhury visits spot

Former MP and local Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited the village, emphasising the plight of migrant workers who toil in other states for their families.

“Many earn their livelihood honestly through hard work. Yet when they leave the state, they are labelled as foreigners. These are decent people who deserve protection and recognition,” the leader, who recently visited Odisha after a migrant worker from Murshidabad was lynched on suspicion of Bangladeshi infiltrator there, and even met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, said.

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Meanwhile, BJP leader and state Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari appealed to the West Bengal Police to take action against the demonstrators.

In a social media post, he criticised the prolonged blockade, noting stones had been thrown and trains were halted, calling the situation “a law-and-order failure” and urging intervention by the state’s director general of police.

Authorities in the area have deployed a large contingent of police to manage the protests, but the blockade had not been lifted at the time of filing this report.

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Villagers have vowed to continue their protests until arrests are made and justice is served.

The disruptions have affected key communication between Kolkata and northern West Bengal.

CM Mamata assures justice

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the issue, highlighting similar incidents in Bihar and condemning the attacks as an abuse of migrant labourers.

She promised that the state government would ensure justice for victims and criticized those responsible for exploiting the workers’ vulnerability for political purposes.

Beldanga has in recent years emerged as a communally sensitive area, with past tensions occasionally flaring into localised unrest.

The situation gained further political significance after suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir laid a foundation stone for a replica of the Babri Masjid in the locality on December 6 last year, which marked the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the mosque in Ayodhya.

Considering these developments, the state administration is on its toes, closely monitoring the protests to prevent the situation from escalating into a larger law-and-order issue.

The district administration is holding meetings with protesters in an effort to persuade them to withdraw their agitation. However, as of 3 pm there was no sign of the protests easing.