Tension in Bengal's Beldanga as body of migrant worker 'killed' in J'khand reaches native village

Kolkata, Jan 16
Tension prevailed at Beldanga in Murshidabad district of West Bengal on Friday after the body of a local migrant worker, who was allegedly killed in neighbouring Jharkhand, reached his native village.

The deceased migrant worker was identified as Alauddin Sheikh (36), a resident of Sujarpur-Kamarpur village panchayat under Beldanga in Murshidabad district.

Sheikh was staying in neighbouring Jharkhand and earning his livelihood as a street hawker.

His family members alleged that on Thursday morning, the news of his demise was received from Jharkhand.

Jharkhand Police informed the family that Sheikh's body was found hanging in his rented room.

However, the family members claimed that although Jharkhand Police were trying to pass on the incident as a case of suicide, they were sure that he was lynched first and then his body was hanged.

After the body of the migrant worker reached his residence, the agitated local crowd first blocked the National Highways by burning tyres. Later, the protests spread onto the railway tracks, with the local people also blocking the rail route.

Following the parallel rail and road blockades, there was tremendous traffic congestion on the National Highways, and the local train services in the area were heavily disrupted.

A police contingent has reached the spot and is trying to convince the agitated crowd to withdraw the parallel rail and road blockades.

The leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has appealed to the state police Director General, Rajeev Kumar, to send additional forces to the area to bring the situation under control.

According to him, there had been rampant stone pelting to block the road and rail. "The area is under the complete dominance of hoodlums, hooligans, and goons. No sign of police action till now. Thousands of passengers are stranded, who are petrified and without food and water, with no respite in sight," the Leader of the Opposition claimed.

He also said that the message was clear that West Bengal was getting "out of the grip" of the administration, with anti-social elements and rioters, enjoying the "backing" of the Trinamool Congress.