Bengali-speaking migrant workers flee NCR, allege police abuse and extortion

Many of the migrants, including women working in Gurgaon's affluent housing complexes, said a climate of fear has gripped Bengali-speaking workers in NCR

Around 100 migrant workers, many of them Bengali-speaking domestic helps and factory staff, returned to West Bengal’s South Dinajpur district this week, recounting harrowing tales of alleged police harassment, extortion and violence in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The returnees, who travelled more than 1,500 km over two days in privately hired buses, say fear for their safety has forced them to abandon years of steady employment in Delhi, Haryana and neighbouring areas, TOI has reported.

Many of the migrants, including women working in Gurgaon's affluent housing complexes, told TOI that a climate of fear has gripped Bengali-speaking workers in NCR following a surge in detentions and midnight raids. Officers, often reportedly refusing to accept Indian identity documents such as Aadhaar or voter cards, allegedly targeted people for speaking Bengali, demanding bribes as high as Rs 5–7 lakh for their release.

Masud Karim, who had lived in Gurgaon with his family for years, described feeling unsafe despite possessing all documents required to prove Indian citizenship. “We lived in Gurgaon for years with our families. We have all our documents to prove Indian citizenship. But we were still being harassed by police and told to prove our identity. We were so scared that we hired a bus to return home,” Karim was quoted by TOI as saying.

The ordeal was echoed by Jakir Mollah, a Delhi migrant of four years, who stated, “The cops are picking up anyone at night. They are not accepting any documents. Either one has to pay them money or be kicked, abused and then jailed. I did not want to end up in a police station and decided to return home with my family.”

Other returnees cited by TOI recounted even more traumatic encounters. Mojlesh Mollah expressed feeling hunted: “No document is a valid identity for the cops (in NCR). The more you keep showing, the more they keep asking. One cannot live in a place with the constant fear of being picked up by cops.”

TOI highlighted several alleged incidents of targeted violence and injustice. Junaid Alam, a factory worker from Panipat, claimed he was detained, beaten and sustained a fractured leg after refusing to confess to being a Bangladeshi national. He has since been hospitalised and brought home by his family. Similarly, Sabir Alam and Md Kabir from Goalpokhor say police demanded confessions and brutalised them in custody, with Sabir returning home with serious injuries. Kabir, still missing, is said to have sent his family a video describing his ordeal and appealing for help. Family members allege that police confiscated the workers’ entire savings.

The situation has provoked strong reactions from local leaders and politicians in West Bengal. According to TOI, state minister Golam Rabbani visited families affected by the alleged police actions and pledged support. The Trinamool Congress also issued a condemnation of the reported crackdown, describing it as a case of Indian citizens being victimised because of their language and identity and further accused Delhi Police of engaging in extortion and discriminatory practices against Bengali speakers.