Kolkata, July 25 -- The dismembered body of a 35-year-old migrant worker from Bengal's North 24-Parganas was found in Maharashtra's Vasai area this week, while four other workers from Murshidabad have alleged assault in Tamil Nadu.

Separately, a labourer from Malda was allegedly detained and deported from Rajasthan despite valid citizenship documents.

The incidents have triggered sharp political reactions, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing the BJP of targeting Bengalis in states it governs.

The murdered worker, Abu Bakkar Mondal, hailed from Narayanpur Village under Baduria Police Station limits. A construction labourer by profession, he had been working in Vasai for several years.

On Sunday, he went missing after leaving home for work. His wife lodged a missing complaint the next day. On Thursday, police recovered a sack containing his dismembered body from a waterbody. It was identified by his wife and returned to his village later that night.

The TMC launched a fierce attack on the BJP, linking the incident to a wider pattern of what it called the "state-sponsored ethnic profiling".

In a post on X, the party stated: "How many more Bengalis must be butchered before the nation wakes up? A Bengali worker from North 24 Parganas, was MURDERED, his DISMEMBERED BODY STUFFED IN A SACK and dumped near his home in Maharashtra. His only 'crime'? Being Bengali in a @BJP4India-ruled state."

It further alleged: "Bengalis are being profiled, harassed, deported, lynched. This isn't incidental, it's a systematic, state-sponsored ethnic purge. You are targeting a language, a culture, a people. You lit this fire, BJP. Now face the fury!"

The party also flagged a separate incident involving a labourer from Malda, West Bengal, in Rajasthan: "A poor man from Kaliachak, Malda working as a daily wage construction worker in Rajasthan was picked up by @BhajanlalBjp's @PoliceRajasthan. Even after showing valid citizenship documents, he was held incommunicado in a detention camp for TWO MONTHS. His family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. And now @AmitShah's BSF has forcibly pushed him into Bangladesh. A legal citizen of India turned stateless by the BJP's xenophobic witch-hunt."

It further stated: "We're resisting this Bangla-Birodhi madness in the streets, in Parliament, and in every forum possible. Come 2026, Bengal will give BJP the verdict they truly deserve - TOTAL EXPULSION from our soil."

In Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur district, four migrant workers from Murshidabad-Sujan Sheikh, Milan Sheikh, Sahil Sheikh and Babu Sheikh-alleged that they were beaten by local residents on July 15 after being accused of being illegal Bangladeshi migrants for speaking Bengali.

One of them, Sujan, sustained a fractured hand and underwent surgery. The workers said their complaint to local police in Chennai went unaddressed, prompting them to file a fresh complaint in Murshidabad on July 18. Police in West Bengal said they have contacted Tamil Nadu police regarding the matter.

These incidents come amid heightened political discourse in Bengal over the safety and dignity of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other parts of the country.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier warned against "linguistic profiling" and alleged a pattern of harassment in states like Rajasthan, Haryana and Odisha. The BJP has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, the state police has launched a dedicated WhatsApp helpline for migrant workers facing difficulties in other states.

In a post shared on Friday, the West Bengal Police urged residents to immediately inform their local police station if any family member or acquaintance is in trouble while working outside Bengal. They also requested that details of the issue and location be sent via WhatsApp to 9147727666 for timely assistance.

The social media post by the police read: "If you face any problem while working in another state from Bengal, contact the state police helpline.

We are getting information from various sources that many people are facing various problems and are being harassed while working in another state from Bengal. But those who are affected, their families do not have a clear idea about who to inform about this problem, how to inform them.

If citizens who are going to work in another state from Bengal face any kind of problem, we appeal to them or their families, to immediately inform your local police station. You can also inform the district control room. Apart from this, we are launching a helpline for the convenience of families. The number of which is 9147727666. This number can only be used on WhatsApp. You can send a message and provide the necessary information here, including your name and address. We will verify each information and contact the concerned state and take necessary action."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.