Murshidabad’s Beldanga area in West Bengal has remained tense for the second consecutive day following violent protests over the death of a migrant worker, Alauddin Sheikh, in Jharkhand.
The unrest intensified after reports claimed that another local worker, Anisur Sheikh, was brutally attacked in Bihar.
Angry residents blocked National Highway-12 and disrupted railway lines, severely affecting movement between North and South Bengal and leaving thousands of commuters stranded.
The protests peaked at Barua More in Beldanga, where large crowds gathered and completely froze traffic on NH-12.
Demonstrators vandalised railway gates, damaged infrastructure, and attempted to halt train services. Police intervened using baton charges to control the mobs.
The agitation reflects rising fear and insecurity among Bengali-speaking migrant labourers working outside the state, as well as growing public anger over repeated attacks on them.
The BJP termed the blockade a serious national security threat, warning that it exposes failures in law and order and puts the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck) at risk.
Since Murshidabad is the main gateway linking Bengal to Siliguri and the northeast, prolonged disruption on NH-12 raises major strategic and security concerns.
There is widespread discussion among local residents and sections of the media alleging that illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh may be involved in the violent mob activity.
These claims suggest that such elements helped instigate the blockade of highways and railway tracks, leading to severe unrest in the state.
The disruption is especially serious because it affects the only crucial road and rail connectivity between the Northeast states and the rest of India.
Authorities, however, have not officially confirmed these allegations, and investigations are ongoing.
