West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that a migrant worker from the state was murdered in Pune, Maharashtra, for speaking in the Bengali language, and termed his murder a “hate crime” while demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
He Pune The rural police identified the victim as Sukhen Dhiren Mahato, who belonged to Tumrasole village in Purulia district of West Bengal.
“I am shocked, enraged and sickened beyond words by the barbaric murder of Sukhen Mahato, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Bandwan in Purulia, the only earning member of his family, in Pune, Maharashtra.
This is nothing short of a hate crime. A young man was persecuted, tortured and murdered for his language, his identity, his roots. “This is the direct consequence of a climate in which xenophobia is used as a weapon and the innocent are made targets,” the Bengal chief minister said in a post on X.
“I demand immediate arrests and exemplary punishments for the perpetrators. And to Sukhen’s family, I say that Bengal is with you in this time of unimaginable pain. No effort will be spared to ensure justice,” he added.
However, Pune rural police said their initial investigation suggests that Sukhen was killed over a dispute with local people. “We suspect that as a result of this dispute he was beaten up and he was fatally injured. We have registered a case of murder. Two suspects have been identified and a search is on for them,” Ramesh Chopde, additional superintendent of Pune Rural police, told The Associated Press. indian express.
Suspects identified, search in
According to the Pune rural police, Sukhen was found dead on the morning of February 10 in an open field behind Hotel Aapla Ghar in Koregaon Bhima in Shirur taluka of Pune district.
Story continues below this ad.
After receiving information, a police team rushed to the spot and took Sukhen’s body to a hospital for post-mortem examination, which revealed that he died due to severe head injury.
Later, they lodged a case of murder against unidentified persons at Shikrapur police station. Sukhen’s brother Tulsiram Dhiren Mahato filed the First Information Report (FIR) in this case, under section 103 (1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, Tulsiram lives in Dnyaneshwar complex in Koregaon Bhima and works at JAL Precision Products Limited in Sanaswadi.
Mahesh Dongare, sub-inspector of Shikrapur police station and investigating officer, said Sukhen had been living in Koregaon Bhima with two of his brothers for the past few years.
Story continues below this ad.
“Sukhen also worked at JAL Precision Products Limited Company. So far an investigation has revealed that he was murdered on the intervening night of February 9 and 10. We have identified the suspects and a search is on for them,” Dongare said.
When asked if it was a hate crime, Dongare said it has not yet been confirmed.
The police said that although there are CCTV cameras at the place where the murder occurred, they reviewed videos in the surrounding area and other places to gather clues about the attackers in this case.
They said Sukhen’s body was handed over to his brothers after the post-mortem examination and they left for their village to receive the last rites.