Four migrant workers from West Bengal’s Murshidabad district have alleged that they were attacked by locals in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvallur district earlier this month, for speaking Bengali and being mistaken as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
According to a police complaint filed in Murshidabad on July 18, Sujan Sheikh, his brother, and two others were assaulted on July 15 while working at a construction site, three weeks after arriving in Chennai for employment.
“Some local residents confronted us, asked our names and origin. When they heard us speaking in Bengali, they began beating us with iron rods and sticks, accusing us of being Bangladeshis,” Sujan Sheikh told PTI.
The men were taken to a government hospital in Thiruvallur. Sujan, who had a fractured hand, underwent surgery and is under treatment.
“This has never happened to us before. We have worked in Chennai for the last four years,” Sheikh added.
Police in Murshidabad have confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated they are coordinating with Tamil Nadu authorities for further investigation.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently raised concerns over alleged “linguistic profiling” of Bengalis in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Odisha.
The BJP has rejected these allegations as politically motivated.
Labour migration to southern India remains high among Bengali workers across construction, textile and hospitality work.
Observers say the safety of migrant workers is said to emerge as a key issue in the political landscape ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
