Migrant Workers in Punjab's Moga District Targeted in Shooting Incident
In a disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves through the migrant community in Punjab, three masked gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a group of mill workers in Khosa Jalal village along the Moga-Zira road on Tuesday. The attack left two workers with gunshot wounds to their legs, while the assailants fled the scene. What makes this violence particularly alarming is the alleged motive: the victims were targeted solely because they were migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Living in Fear: Migrant Workers Speak Out
Kailash Yadav, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh who has been living and working in Punjab's Moga district for many years, expressed his deep anxiety following the shooting. "I have been anxious since yesterday," Yadav said from his home on a sunny February afternoon. "Even though I know I am safe, the way they shot at the group: it felt like anyone could have been struck in the head and died on the spot. We urge the police and state government to control such incidents and revive our faith in the system."
Yadav, who works at a rice mill on the Moga-Zira road and regularly sends money to his family in Uttar Pradesh, had been living peacefully in Punjab until this incident shattered his sense of security.
His friend Ramkishan, also from Uttar Pradesh, echoed these sentiments of fear and disillusionment. "We never faced any problem working in Punjab despite being from other states, and we felt it was a peaceful state," Ramkishan said. "Some issues came up when a campaign was launched against migrants over the killing of a child in Hoshiarpur, but that phase was over. Now, when our people faced bullets, our faith has been shaken to some extent. We feel this phase too should be over soon."
Police Investigation and Social Media Dimension
The Moga-Zira road area is home to numerous rice mills and factories that employ large numbers of migrant workers. Following the shooting, police have launched an intensive investigation. Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Gandhi stated that authorities are working overtime to trace the shooters. "CCTV footage from the area has been scanned. We are hopeful we will soon reach those behind the incident," Gandhi added.
In a troubling development, an Instagram handle posted a video of the shooting and claimed responsibility for the attack, using inflammatory language against migrants and alleging they were "treating Punjab as their fiefdom." This Instagram account was subsequently blocked on Wednesday. Police officials have noted that the investigation is still at an early stage and they have not yet classified the incident as a hate crime.
Political Condemnation and Calls for Unity
The shooting has drawn strong condemnation from opposition parties across the political spectrum in Punjab.
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring described the incident as "alarming and disturbing" in a social media post. "Attack on migrant labourers must be probed and the guilty given exemplary punishment," Warring wrote. "We have to defeat such forces while remaining united. I hope the AAP Punjab government and also the Government of India take serious note of it. We have to rise above partisan politics to combat this serious threat to our Punjab."
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal suggested a broader conspiracy at play. "A new conspiracy seems to be afoot to destabilise Punjab," Badal wrote. "This firing on migrant labourers in Moga is enough to understand the sinister move. Urgent steps are needed to tackle this situation before AAP's ruthless tactics turn Punjab into a permanent battleground of division, coercion, and chaos."
Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar emphasized that the attack goes against the spirit of Punjabiyat. "Earlier, businessmen were targeted and no new industry is ready to come to Punjab, and now, under some conspiracy, migrant workers were targeted," Jakhar stated. "This is not Punjabiyat. Some people are poisoning society over the issue for quite some time, which is against the philosophy of Guru Sahiban. Migrants have a big role in Punjab's industry and agriculture. This is a highly condemnable incident."
The incident has highlighted the vulnerability of migrant workers who contribute significantly to Punjab's economy while raising serious questions about social harmony and security in the state.
