Mohammad Junaid Alam, a migrant worker from North Dinajpur, on Thursday filed a complaint at the Goalpokhar police station against the Panipat police station in Haryana about his alleged torture in police custody.

Junaid, who used to work at a carpet factory in Panipat, was picked up by the local police on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi. They beat him up severely to make him admit that he is from Bangladesh. The labourer ended up with a fractured left leg and later, somehow, returned home at Soalpara in Goalpokhar block of North Dinajpur.

“I was mercilessly beaten up by the police at the Panipat police station only because I speak Bengali. This is unacceptable. I filed a complaint with the Bengal police against the Panipat police. Those who had tortured me for no reason should be punished,” Junaid said over the phone.

Jamaluddin, his father, reached the Goalpokhar police station with local Trinamool Congress leaders and submitted the complaint signed by his son.

“We are still in shock to hear how my son was tortured. He could have died because of the torture. We want justice,” said the father.

Joby Thomas, the superintendent of police of the Islampur police district, said: “Based on the complaint, a case has been registered. We have initiated an inquiry.”

Cong forms cell

The Congress has formed a monitoring cell at Panipat in Haryana to help the Bengali-speaking migrant workers who are living with insecurity, as many of them were detained and tortured by the local police on suspicion that they were Bangladeshis.

Imran Ali Ramz, a former MLA and a Congress leader from North Dinajpur, said that party workers had been meeting the migrant workers for the past three days. A delegation of Congress leaders led by former MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has held three meetings with the workers.

“Our party has formed a monitoring cell comprising some migrant workers as well as local Congress leaders. The cell is extending all possible help to the workers who are in distress. We condemn the torture of migrants only because they are from Bengal,” Imran said over the phone.

From Panipat, he headed for Ghaziabad on Thursday. “There are reports that migrant workers from Bengal are facing similar harassment and torture in Ghaziabad. We will meet and support the workers who are facing problems,” he added.