A young migrant worker from West Bengal, who had just begun his first job, was brutally lynched by a mob in Odisha's Sambalpur district, triggering allegations of xenophobic violence and a sharp political blame game. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, December 24, resulted in the death of 20-year-old Sheikh Juel Rana and left two of his colleagues critically injured.
The Tragic Incident and Conflicting Narratives
Sheikh Juel Rana, the only son of his parents from Suti in Murshidabad district, had arrived in Sambalpur just five days earlier on December 20 to work as a mason. According to a written complaint filed by his mother, Nazma Bibi, with Suti police, she received a call around 8:30 PM on December 24 informing her that seven to eight locals had attacked her son and his co-workers near their workplace.
"They accused them of being Bengali-speaking Bangladeshis and threatened to kill them. While doing so, they brutally assaulted my son and his colleagues with sticks, iron rods and sharp weapons. My son died on the spot," Bibi stated in her complaint. Juel's father, Ziaul Haque, also a mason, currently works in Kerala.
However, the Odisha Police presented a different version. Officials stated the clash took place at an under-construction building in Danipali under Ainthapali police station. They claimed local youths approached the workers, smoked bidis with them, and an argument broke out after the youths demanded to see their Aadhaar cards, which soon turned violent.
"The quarrel began over smoking bidis but quickly escalated. One person died, and two others were injured. Police have arrested six persons, and anyone else involved will be arrested," said Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamu.
Eyewitness Account and Political Fallout
An eyewitness, Naushad Ali, also a worker from Murshidabad, contradicted the police's initial monetary dispute theory. He claimed the workers were sitting near a bonfire when a group of youths approached them asking for bidis. "After taking the bidis, they accused the workers of being from Bangladesh and then started assaulting them," Ali said.
The killing has sent shockwaves through the community of Bengali-speaking labourers in Sambalpur. Mason Majhar Khan expressed the pervasive fear, stating migrant workers are frequently mistaken for Bangladeshis. "We are not Bangladeshis. People suspect and attack us by calling us Bangladeshis. We request the state government to give us protection," he appealed.
The incident quickly assumed a political colour. Trinamool Congress MLA Imani Biswas, who visited Juel's mother in Chakbahadurpur along with block officials and police, alleged a communal angle. "The miscreants attacked the three and were forcing them to chant Jai Shri Ram. We are trying to bring the body home at the earliest after the post-mortem," Biswas said.
Bengal Minister Shashi Panja and Bengal Migrant Welfare Board chairperson Samirul Islam accused the BJP-ruled states of targeting Bengali-speaking labourers. "Once again, Bengali-speaking migrant workers have been attacked in a BJP-governed state. They were branded as Bangladeshi infiltrators," Islam alleged. Panja questioned, "Why are BJP leaders silent?"
Police Investigation and Official Stance
In response to the escalating allegations, senior Odisha police officials denied any communal or linguistic motive. Inspector General Himanshu Lal asserted that the clash arose from a monetary dispute between two groups. "All six accused have been arrested, and further scientific investigation is underway. There is no communal or linguistic angle to the incident," he stated firmly.
Despite the police's official stance, the tragedy underscores the vulnerabilities faced by inter-state migrant workers in India. The case highlights how disputes can rapidly escalate into fatal mob violence, often layered with identity-based suspicions. The Odisha Police's promise of a scientific investigation will be closely watched as the families of the victims seek justice and political voices demand accountability.
