North Lakhimpur: A 55-year-old migrant worker from Dhemaji district was reportedly found dead in a mutilated condition near Maldah railway station in West Bengal while returning to Assam from Kerala, raising concerns over the safety of migrant workers travelling by train.
The deceased, Bidyadhar Payeng of Hatigarh-Dhunaguri Misinggaon under Sisi Borgaon co-district, had travelled to Kerala for work on September 8 along with several fellow workers. According to his family, he was returning home aboard the Dibrugarh-bound Vivek Express on September 20 following an emergency at home.
Family members said Payeng spoke to his son over the phone around 9 pm on Tuesday, informing him that he was hiding after being chased by a group of men. He reportedly called again around 11 pm and said he was still trying to evade them.
His body was recovered from the outskirts of Maldah railway station on Wednesday morning. The Maldah Railway Police reportedly informed the family after finding his mobile phone near the body and later shared photographs of the deceased with them.
The circumstances surrounding Payeng’s death remain unclear. His family has alleged that he may have been killed by a criminal group intending to remove his organs. However, the allegation has not been established, and the exact cause and circumstances of his death remain under investigation.
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of migrant workers from Assam who travel long distances by train to reach workplaces outside the state. In recent months, several cases involving the deaths, disappearances and alleged attacks on migrant workers from Assam have been reported.
The Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express, particularly along routes passing through West Bengal and southern India, has been associated with several such incidents involving migrant workers from Assam. Families have repeatedly raised concerns over their safety while travelling to and from workplaces outside the state.