A young man beaten to death in India over suspicions of being Bangladeshi

In a harrowing escalation of communal tension in India, yet another Bengali Muslim labourer has reportedly been beaten to death after being suspected of being Bangladeshi, according to family accounts.

The incident occurred on the night of Wednesday, 21 January, in Komarolu, a village in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. The victim, 32-year-old Manjur Alam Laskar, a resident of Usti in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, had been working for nearly a decade in the area as a skilled embroidery artisan. His family alleges that he was brutally attacked following repeated threats from local extremist groups who accused him of being a Bangladeshi migrant.

According to relatives, the attack was preceded by a chilling episode of extortion. On Tuesday, 20 January, Manjur’s wife received a phone call from an unknown number demanding a ransom of 25,000 Indian rupees. Fearing for her husband’s life, the family managed to gather 6,000 rupees and sent it online. Despite their efforts, the following night they were informed of Manjur’s death.

Giasuddin Laskar, Manjur’s elder brother and a local Trinamool Congress leader in Usti, described the murder as a premeditated crime. “First, he was labelled as Bangladeshi and abducted. Later, even after partial ransom payment, he was mercilessly beaten to death,” he said.

Currently, the state government in Andhra Pradesh is led by a coalition of TDP, JSP, and BJP. In the wake of the incident, Manjur’s family has appealed to the West Bengal government to coordinate with Andhra Pradesh authorities to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation. The tragedy has sparked outrage in Usti, with locals demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.

Adding to the concern over migrant safety, another Bengali worker, 29-year-old Alamgir Mondal, was found dead near railway tracks in Chennai on Thursday, 22 January, after being missing for eight days. Alamgir had been travelling to Hyderabad for work. Although railway police have suggested an accidental death, his family suspects foul play.

These incidents are part of a disturbing trend in southern India over recent months, where Bengali Muslim labourers have been targeted due to suspicions of Bangladeshi origin, causing widespread fear among migrant workers.

Summary of Recent Incidents Involving Bengali Labourers in India