Kolkata, February 12 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that a 24-year-old migrant worker from the state was murdered in Maharashtra for speaking in the Bengali language.
Banerjee described this as a "hate crime" and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.
"I am deeply saddened, enraged, and horrified by the barbaric murder of Sukhen Mahato, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Bandwan in Purulia, who was the sole breadwinner of his family, in Pune, Maharashtra," the CM said in a post on X.
"This is nothing short of a hate crime. A young man was hunted, tortured, and murdered for his language, his identity, and his origins," she said.
"This is a direct consequence of an environment where xenophobia is used as a weapon, and innocent people are targeted," the CM added.
She demanded the immediate arrest of the accused and exemplary punishment for them.
"To Sukhen's family, I say that West Bengal stands with you in this time of unimaginable grief. Every effort will be made to ensure justice," she added.
