Sambalpur: Six persons were arrested on Thursday in connection with the brutal murder of a migrant worker from West Bengal in Odisha’s Sambalpur even as police ruled out any allegations that the victim was targeted on suspicion of being an illegal Bangladeshi intruder.
The deceased has been identified as Juel Sheikh (30) from Murshidabad district in West Benga. He had been working as a daily wage labourer in Sambalpur.
Sharing information about the case, Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, Himansu Lal, said the murder was caused by sudden provocation and not a targeted attack. All accused have been nabbed in the murder case registered at Ainthapali police station, while further scientific probe is underway as per law, he said.
“The murder was the outcome of a sudden provocation. The incident was not driven by any intention of targeting any particular category,” said Lal.
While police confirmed that six people have been arrested in connection with the murder, detailed information about the circumstances leading to the assault, the cause of provocation and the exact roles of the accused are yet to be shared.
The suspects were picked up following multiple raids and interrogation based on preliminary evidence, witness statements and technical inputs. Investigators are now focusing on reconstructing the sequence of events and establishing the individual roles of each accused.
Notably, Sheikh was beaten to death on Wednesday night in Shantinagar area under the jurisdiction of Ainthapali police station of Sambalpur after being allegedly attacked by a group of miscreants. The incident occurred when Sheikh and two other workers stopped at a tea stall after work and were confronted by a group of miscreants who demanded identity documents. Though valid IDs were reportedly shown, the miscreants assaulted the group, during which two workers managed to escape while Sheikh was caught and fatally beaten.
Police have not clarified why the suspects demanded ID documents from the victims. Sheikh’s body is at the district headquarters hospital, his family members have been intimated, and the necessary legal formalities have been initiated.
Following the incident, police patrolling has been intensified in the area as a precautionary measure to prevent any further escalation.
