SAMBALPUR: The world has come crashing down on the poverty-stricken family of 20-year-old Suhel Rana from West Bengal’s Murshidabad who was beaten to death by a group of miscreants in Sambalpur on Wednesday.
The second child in the family, Suhel was working as a labourer for the past two years, helping his father shoulder the responsibility of running the household. With one sister married a few years ago and his mother and younger sister still back home in Murshidabad, his earnings had become vital for the family’s sustenance, sources close to the family said. He had even helped repay loans taken for his sister’s marriage.
That fragile support system was shattered when Suhel was beaten to death by a group of miscreants allegedly on suspicion of being an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant though police refuted the claim. The news of his death plunged the family into shock and despair. Though Suhel’s postmortem was conducted on Thursday afternoon, none of his immediate family members could be present. His father, who also works as a migrant labourer in Kerala, could not reach Sambalpur in time, leaving the family to mourn from afar.
According to labour contractor Hoque Saheb, who had arranged Suhel’s work in Sambalpur, the youth was travelling to the city for work for the last two years. “He first came here two years ago and continued working. This year, he stayed back home for nearly six months and returned just five days ago,” Saheb said.
Suhel lived in Sambalpur’s Shanti Nagar with seven other labourers from Murshidabad. His death has since sent a wave of fear through the migrant community in the city, where hundreds from the West Bengal district work as daily labourers. Several workers are reportedly returning to their villages since Thursday.
A migrant labourer from Murshidabad who has been working in Sambalpur for 15 years said the incident has deepened concerns among workers. “I didn’t know Suhel personally, but his village is barely 10 km from mine. If this can happen to him, it can happen to any of us,” he said.
He recalled that migrant workers have faced similar confrontations earlier as well. “If there is suspicion, the authorities should verify documents and take legal action. Attacking people based on suspicion is unacceptable. We come here only to earn a living,” he said, urging the government of both the states to intervene and ensure the safety of migrant workers.