A migrant youth from Sitalkuchi block of Cooch Behar district was found dead in BJP-ruled Assam, with his family members alleging he was murdered and the ruling Trinamool Congress terming the incident as “deeply worrying.”
The deceased, 35-year-old Himankar Pal, was a resident of Kurshamari area under Bhairathana gram panchayat in Sitalkuchi block of Mathabhanga subdivision, around 60km from Cooch Behar town.
His family members, who came to know his body was found on railway tracks from Assam police on Saturday night, have alleged murder.
According to them, they have sketchy details from Himankar's phone calls after he left home last Thursday to Arunachal Pradesh in search of work.
Unable to find suitable employment, Himankar decided to return home and boarded a bus for Cooch Behar, one of his relatives said.
The relative claimed that during the journey, Himankar had an argument with the bus driver, possibly over money.
The family alleges that Himankar was later assaulted in a planned manner, killed and thrown onto railway tracks in Assam.
A relative that this correspondent spoke to was unable to recall the exact location. However, the relative said several of Himankar's family members left for Assam on Sunday to bring back the body.
The incident has triggered grief and anger in Kurshamari. Local Trinamool leaders visited the bereaved family on Sunday, assuring them of support.
The family said that a written complaint would be filed at Sitalkuchi police station shortly. They have demanded an impartial probe and swift arrest of those responsible for the youth's death.
Trinamool leader and former Cooch Behar MP Partha Pratim Roy reacted to the incident.
"The migrant worker was returning from Arunachal Pradesh by bus when his body was found in Assam. The family alleges murder and has raised serious concerns over his interaction with the bus driver and a financial transaction during the journey,” Roy said.
He said that repeated assaults on or deaths of migrant workers from Bengal in various BJP-ruled states were a matter of concern. “After the death (in Jharkhand last week) of the Beldanga youth, this incident from Sitalkuchi is deeply worrying. We have informed the party’s top leadership about it,” Roy said.