The Police on Wednesday night arrested two persons, including a home guard, in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old youth from West Bengal in Coimbatore, an incident that has once again raised concerns over the safety of migrant workers in Tamil Nadu.
The victim, Suraj (23), a resident of Kolkata, was employed at a Chinese restaurant in the Karumbukkadai area of the city. According to police officials, the incident occurred on Tuesday night after Suraj finished work and was walking along a road in the Pullukadu area.
Police said the accused — Basith, a home guard from Karumbukkadai, and his friend Prakash, an auto-rickshaw driver — intercepted Suraj and questioned him in an aggressive manner. The verbal altercation allegedly escalated when the duo used abusive language and pushed Suraj, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground.
According to information provided by passersby to the B1 Periya Kadai Veethi police, the accused reportedly stopped Suraj and asked him, “You are from North India, how dare you talk to us?” before allegedly abusing and pushing him. Suraj sustained a severe head injury in the fall, lost consciousness and collapsed on the road.
Police rushed to the spot after receiving information and shifted Suraj to the Coimbatore Government Hospital in an ambulance. However, doctors declared him brought dead.
Following the incident, police launched an investigation and detained Basith and Prakash. A case was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including murder. Both the accused were later produced before a court on Thursday and remanded to judicial custody at Coimbatore Central Prison.
The killing has triggered renewed concern over public safety, particularly for migrant workers, as similar incidents have been reported in recent weeks. A few days ago, a youth from Odisha was attacked and stabbed by four minors after he reportedly objected to making video reels during a local train journey near Tiruttani railway station in Tiruvallur district. Two weeks earlier, migrant youths from North India were also allegedly assaulted at a tea shop in Coimbatore.
Police said further investigation into the murder case is underway.
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