Migrant Workers Under Scrutiny After Tragic Hoshiarpur Incident

The antim ardas, or final prayer, for a five-year-old boy, who was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by a migrant worker, was held at the local Gurdwara Singh Sabha on Saturday.

The boy was abducted on September 9 while playing outside his home, and his body was found the following day at a cremation ground in Pur Hiran village, Hoshiarpur district.

Manke Yadav, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh residing in the Sabzi Mandi area, has been arrested in connection with the crime. Police reports indicate that Yadav, an alleged alcoholic, sodomised and strangled the boy, leaving multiple injuries as per the postmortem report. The ceremony was attended by family members, farmer leaders, and representatives from various social and religious organisations.

Following the 'kirtan', attendees paid tributes to the child, leading into a prayer session. Social activist Lakha Singh Sidhana, Dal Khalsa leader Paramjit Singh Mand, among others, addressed the gathering, demanding strict punishment for the accused.

In protest, hundreds marched from the Gurdwara to the district administrative complex to submit memorandums to the chief minister and Punjab governor, demanding tighter controls on migrants, including employment and residence regulations.

The murder has sparked anti-migrant sentiments, with over 20 village panchayats in Hoshiarpur declaring they will cease attesting documents of migrant laborers, and several village heads have resolved not to allow undocumented migrant workers residency.

(With inputs from agencies.)