The Kerala government on Monday pledged a compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh to the family of Ramnarayan Baghel, a 31-year-old Dalit daily wage labourer from Chhattisgarh who was brutally lynched by a mob in Walayar, Palakkad district. The horrific incident occurred last Wednesday after the mob suspected him of being a "Bangladeshi" or a thief.
Chief Minister's Stern Response and SIT Probe
Condemning the killing, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed it "unacceptable in a progressive society" and directed authorities to take strict action. He announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Palakkad Superintendent of Police has been constituted to probe the case thoroughly. The SIT has been instructed to review all details and take necessary legal steps.
The assurance of compensation and justice came after Baghel's family, who are currently in Kerala, refused to accept his body until their demands were met. Following negotiations with authorities, it was decided that the body would be airlifted from Kochi to Raipur on Tuesday at the state's expense.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Tragedy
Ramnarayan Baghel had arrived in Palakkad on December 13 in search of work and had found employment as a construction labourer. Merely four days later, on Wednesday, suspicion cost him his life. The assault took place at Attappallam East in Walayar.
Before his death, hospital staff reported that Baghel told them he was attacked by a mob accusing him of theft. However, investigators confirmed that no evidence of any theft was found in his possession. The autopsy conducted at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Thrissur revealed that the cause of death was excessive bleeding caused by severe blunt force injuries to his head and other body parts.
Arrests and Political Fallout
The Kerala police have registered a case and made significant headway in the investigation. Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the mob lynching. They were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Police indicated that further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
The killing has ignited a political controversy in the state. The incident gained widespread attention after videos surfaced on social media showing the mob interrogating Baghel about his identity and repeatedly asking if he was from Bangladesh. The case has put a spotlight on issues of migrant worker safety and mob violence.
Medical college hospital sources stated that the embalming process would be completed by Monday night, allowing for the subsequent transportation of the body to his home state for the last rites.
