Rising Attacks on Bengali Muslims in India Over "Illegal Immigrant" Suspicions

According to his family, despite his long-term residency, local extremist factions had been harassing him with threats to leave the area, accusing him of being an illegal immigrant. The situation turned fatal when Manjur was kidnapped last Tuesday, with his captors demanding a ransom of 25,000 rupees. Fearing for his life, his wife managed to transfer 6,000 rupees online, but the attackers allegedly beat him to death on Wednesday night under the pretext of a "theft" accusation. Manjur’s brother and local TMC leader, Giasuddin Laskar, described the incident as a cold-blooded, premeditated crime fueled by communal hatred.

Andhra Pradesh is currently governed by the TDP–JSP–BJP coalition. The victim's family has made an urgent plea to the West Bengal government to coordinate with Andhra authorities to ensure a fair investigation. Meanwhile, a similar air of tragedy has struck Chennai, where the body of another Bengali worker, Alamgir Mondal, was discovered near railway tracks after he had been missing for eight days. While railway police have labeled it an accident, his family suspects foul play. These consecutive incidents have triggered widespread panic among migrant workers across India, who increasingly fear being targeted due to their linguistic and religious identity.