Death of migrant labourer in West Bengal: Custodial torture alleged, NHRC approached

Family members of the victim

By A Representative

In a disturbing development from West Bengal, serious allegations of custodial torture and subsequent death have emerged involving a 35-year-old migrant labourer, Bishnu Kumar, a resident of Arsha in Purulia district. Human rights organisation Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has lodged a formal legal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), calling for immediate intervention and an impartial investigation.

Bishnu Kumar, reportedly the sole earning member of his family and belonging to a marginalised community, was allegedly picked up by the Arsha police on 16 July without any formal arrest memo or written notice. According to MASUM’s complaint, he was forcibly dragged from his home into a police van and taken to the local police station, where he was illegally detained and brutally tortured.

He returned home hours later in severe physical distress, limping and visibly traumatised. Despite his wife Malati's efforts to provide relief, his condition worsened over the next few days. On the night of 19 July, he was declared “brought dead” at Arsha Block Hospital by Dr. Tamal Hansda. The family and co-villagers assert that his death was a direct result of custodial torture.

MASUM's fact-finding team documented several procedural violations and signs of a cover-up. These include the refusal to register the initial complaint from the deceased’s brother as an FIR, a police-led inquest instead of a magistrate's, and the absence of injury notations in the medical report despite visible marks. Further, six villagers who protested peacefully on 20 July were lathi-charged and arrested, allegedly on the orders of a sub-inspector.

“There is strong prima facie evidence of torture, cover-up and misuse of authority. The police fabricated documents, suppressed evidence, and violated fundamental protections enshrined in the Constitution,” said Kirity Roy, Secretary of MASUM and National Convenor of PACTI (Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity). “We demand an independent investigation, a re-post-mortem by an expert, and prosecution of all responsible officers. The NHRC must act now to ensure justice and deter such brutalities.”

Roy also urged the NHRC to direct the preservation of all CCTV footage of the police station dated 16 July and to advise all State and Central health authorities to adopt the Minnesota Protocol for examining deaths allegedly caused by torture or state violence. The group has also sought immediate compensation for the victim’s widow and release of the villagers who were wrongfully detained.

The case has triggered alarm among rights groups and local communities, reigniting concerns over unchecked custodial violence in the region.

Comments

How natural and organic farming can be a key to combating the climate crisis

By Raj Kumar Sinha* On July 9, while addressing the “Sahkar Samvad” in Ahmedabad with women and workers associated with cooperatives from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that natural farming is essential for both our health and the health of the soil. This is a significant statement in the context of addressing the climate change crisis. Natural farming can play a crucial role in combating climate change. Also known as organic farming, it is a system of agriculture that can increase food production without harming the environment. Natural farming has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 35% to 50%.

Another 'honor' killing in Tamil Nadu: Caste pride has murdered love, again

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Once again, Tamil Nadu has witnessed a brutal so-called 'honor' killing. This time, it is Kevin Selvaganesh, a 27-year-old software engineer from the Scheduled Caste community, who has been hacked to death by the family of the girl he loved since childhood. Kevin, a brilliant student employed at Tata Consultancy Services, was in a relationship with Subashini, his schoolmate and girlfriend. The couple, both well-educated and professionally qualified, had plans to marry. Yet, that love story ended in bloodshed — sacrificed at the altar of caste pride.

The myth of population decline: India’s real challenge is density, not fertility

By N.S. Venkataraman* India’s population in 2025 stands at approximately 1.4 billion. In 1950, it was 359 million, rising sharply to 1.05 billion by 2000. The population continues to grow and is projected to reach around 1.7 billion by 2050.

100 yrs of RSS as seen by global media house: Power, controversy, push for Hindu-first India

By Rajiv Shah On a blistering summer evening in Nagpur, nearly a thousand men in brown trousers, white shirts, and black caps stood in formation as a saffron flag was raised, marking a graduation ceremony for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers. This vivid scene, described in a recent FT Weekend Magazine article, “A hundred years after it was founded, India's Hindu-nationalist movement is getting closer to its goal of a Hindu-first state,” captures the enduring presence of the RSS, a century-old Hindu-nationalist organization.

Why is India’s cheetah project under fire? Study flags ecological, social, species injustices

By Rajiv Shah A recent peer-reviewed study has sharply criticized Project Cheetah—India’s high-profile initiative to reintroduce African cheetahs into the wild—as ethically compromised, scientifically flawed, and socially unjust. Titled “Delineating the Environmental Justice Implications of an Experimental Cheetah Introduction Project in India”, the paper is authored by Yashendu C. Joshi, Stephanie E. Klarmann, and Louise C. de Waal, and was published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

Siang dam project sparks debate over security, development, and displacement in Arunachal

By Aarna Gupta* The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, India, has emerged as a contentious initiative shaped by strategic, environmental, and social concerns. Indian officials, including Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, have voiced strong support for the project. One of the primary motivations is China’s plan to build a 60,000 MW hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (the upper stretch of the Brahmaputra) in Tibet, which Indian authorities see as a threat to water and national security. In response, the 11,000 MW Siang Dam, with its 9 billion cubic meter reservoir, is viewed as a necessary countermeasure to manage water flow and reduce vulnerability.

Shanghai Textbook reassessed: Between revolutionary rhetoric and economic reality

By Harsh Thakor "Maoist Economics and the Revolutionary Road to Communism: The Shanghai Textbook on Socialist Political Economy" (1975) presents a detailed exposition of the Chinese perspective on socialist political economy under Mao . Developed during the Cultural Revolution, it outlines a theoretical framework for the functioning of a socialist alternative to capitalism. The book was formulated under the direction of Zhang Chunqiao, who played a central role in discussions, content planning, and final reviews of the draft.

Gujarat's 12-hour workday: A betrayal of labor's century-long struggle

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah* A recent ordinance by the Gujarat government, issued on July 1st, has amended the Factories Act of 1948, increasing the daily working hours for industrial laborers to 12 hours. This swift action, taken without even waiting for the Legislative Assembly to convene, suggests an urgent need perceived by the government. However, this move directly contravenes a global standard established through centuries of struggle by workers worldwide.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Search This Blog