Bengal's migrant worker found dead in Pune, murder case filed; CM Mamata calls it a 'hate crime’

A migrant worker from West Bengal’s Purulia district was allegedly murdered in Pune, triggering grief and anger in his native village. The deceased, identified as Sukhen Mahato, was found dead in the Koregaon Bhima area under Shikarpur police station limits. His body was recovered on Wednesday afternoon and sent for postmortem. Police said a murder complaint has been lodged and all angles are under investigation, with no arrests reported till late Wednesday night.

Sukhen, who had been working in Pune since 2021, was employed at an auto parts manufacturing unit along with his elder brother. His younger brother also works in the city. According to family members, he was the sole earning member of the household. He was scheduled to report for his 3 pm shift on Tuesday, and his body was found around 500 metres from his workplace.

Family members have alleged that he was beaten to death and expressed suspicion that he was targeted for being Bengali. However, police have not officially confirmed this claim. His elder brother, who was on night shift at the time of the incident, filed the complaint after learning about the incident. The family has also said it would cost around ₹70,000 and take nearly 36 hours to transport the body to Purulia.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “shaken, enraged, and sickened beyond words” by the killing, describing it as “nothing short of a hate crime.” She demanded immediate arrests and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators, and assured the bereaved family that the state stands with them in their quest for justice.