In a disturbing incident highlighting concerns over the safety of Bengalis in other Indian states, 18 peddlers from Murshidabad, West Bengal, have been allegedly detained and tortured by police in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district. The arrests occurred on suspicion of being Bangladeshis, simply because they spoke Bengali. The event has reignited debates on the harassment of Bengali migrants, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee previously protesting similar incidents in BJP-ruled states.
According to reports, the 18 individuals from Murshidabad had traveled to Basti for work, where they sold plastic toys for children and household items door-to-door. They were staying in a rented house in the Nagar police station area. On Friday night, September 5, 2025, Uttar Pradesh police raided the house late at night, detaining them on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Despite presenting valid identity documents like EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) and Aadhaar cards, they were not released.
Family members allege that the police subjected them to severe torture for speaking Bengali and for not being fluent in Hindi. When the house owner went to the police station to inquire, he was allegedly demanded money to secure their release. Upon informing the peddlers' families in Murshidabad, relatives filed complaints at the local police station about the torture and demanded assistance.
Murshidabad's Additional Superintendent of Police (Lalbagh), Raspreet Singh, confirmed the incident and stated that contact has been made with Uttar Pradesh police to facilitate the release of the detained individuals. Efforts are ongoing to rescue them. The Migrant Labourer Unity Forum (Parijayee Sharmik Aikya Manch) has also written to the Murshidabad District Magistrate and Joint Labour Commissioner seeking intervention.
This case echoes previous complaints of Bengalis being targeted in BJP-governed states, where speaking Bengali often leads to accusations of being "Bangladeshis." The incident has raised serious questions about the protection of migrant workers from West Bengal in other parts of India.
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