Cooch Behar: Even before tensions over the Beldanga incident subsided, the mysterious death of a migrant worker has triggered fresh grief in Sitalkuchi block of Cooch Behar district. The deceased has been identified as Himankar Pal, a resident of the Kurshamari area under Bhaoirthana Gram Panchayat.
According to family members, Himankar had travelled to Arunachal Pradesh last Thursday in search of employment. However, after failing to secure work, he decided to return home and boarded a bus. Tragically, this became his last journey. Himankar’s father, Nitish Pal, claimed that his son had an altercation with the bus driver during the journey. “Following the argument, he was assaulted and later thrown near the railway tracks,” he claimed, insisting that the death was not accidental but a case of murder.
The incident has left the family shattered, while anger and grief have spread across the locality. On receiving information about the incident, Trinamool Congress regional president of the Bhaoirthana area, Chandan Pramanik, along with Gram Panchayat member Kaseem Mia and other local representatives, visited the bereaved family at Kurshamari. They expressed solidarity with the family and demanded a thorough and impartial investigation.
Family members stated that a written complaint would be lodged at the Sitalkuchi Police Station shortly. Locals have demanded swift arrests and exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked political reactions. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Partha Pratim Roy, in a social media post, alleged that the migrant worker was targeted because he was a Bengali, terming it another instance of atrocities against Bengalis in BJP-ruled states. In response, BJP district vice-president Biraj Bose said that while every death is tragic, the Trinamool Congress was attempting to politicise the incident. He added that the state government should focus on creating employment opportunities within Bengal to prevent migration.