After Pune, another migrant worker from Bengal found dead in Gujarat

Family members of a migrant worker have alleged murder after the body of the female from East Burdwan was found hanging at a restaurant in Gujarat, this morning.

Sonamoni Bairagya (38), a resident of Siddapura village under Nadanghat police station in East Burdwan district, had moved to Gujarat around one-and-a-half years ago to work as an attendant at a restaurant on Rajakpath Rangoli Road within the jurisdiction of Sola police station. Her body was recovered from a room inside the restaurant earlier today.

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Officials of Sola police station informed her mother, Shefali Bairagya, about the incident after recovering the body. She alleged foul play, stating: “My daughter was a hard-working woman. There is no reason why she would take her own life. She was murdered and then hanged.” She further claimed that the Ahmedabad Police initially refused to register an FIR.

The deceased’s mother later lodged a complaint with Nadanghat police station in East Burdwan this afternoon. Biswabandhu Chattaraj, inspector of Nadanghat police station, said: “The complaint has been registered and we have established communication with the Ahmedabad Police to obtain a preliminary status report.”

According to family members, Sonamoni had migrated to Gujarat after her husband, Mithun Bairagya, lost his job following the withdrawal of MGNREGA work in the state. While Mithun now works as an agricultural labourer, Sonamoni had moved to Gujarat to support the family financially.

Leaders of the Trinamul Congress have alleged that the death was the result of linguistic discrimination in Gujarat. Rajkumar Pandey, president of the Purbasthali-I block TMC committee, claimed: “This is how youths from Bengal are being killed in BJP-ruled states. We will pursue justice for the victim to the highest level.”

This is the second death in a couple of days for Bengali-speaking migrant workers from West Bengal.

Sukhen Mahato, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Bandwan in Purulia was brutally murdered in Pune, Maharashtra. He was the sole earning member of the family.

Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee had expressed concern over the death of Sukhen Mahato in Maharashtra.

She demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants and their exemplary punishment.

Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also urged all the political parties to come forward and protest against the brutal murder of Pululia migrant worker Sukhen Mahato in Maharashtra.

The Diamond Harbour MP visited the house of the ‘hate-crime’ victim in Purulia on Friday and spoke to his family members.