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The mortal remains of Chhattisgarh migrant worker Ramnarayan Baghel, who was allegedly beaten to death by a mob in Kerala's Palakkad district after being mistaken for a Bangladeshi national, were taken to his home state on Tuesday amid demands for strict action and compensation for the bereaved family.
Kerala Minister for Revenue K Rajan said the state cabinet would decide on providing financial assistance to Baghel's family from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. He added that the family has demanded compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh, which the cabinet will also consider. Rajan confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the incident and that five people have been arrested to date. "There were reports of racial slurs being used. The investigation team will verify whether the attack was carried out on the pretext of the victim being a Bangladeshi. An inquiry will also be conducted into the attack on a member of the SC/ST community," the minister said. He added that the Kerala Chief Secretary has been entrusted with ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court's 2023 directions on crimes against SC/ST communities. Earlier on Tuesday morning, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep sorrow over what he termed an "inhuman and unfortunate" killing. The victim, Ramnarayan Baghel, was a resident of the village Karhi in the Hasoud tehsil of Sakti district. The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the family and said arrangements had been made to send family members to Kerala immediately. On his instructions, all necessary arrangements were ensured to bring Baghel's mortal remains to his native village with due respect. On December 17, the Chhattisgarh migrant Ramnarayan Baghel was beaten to death by a mob after being mistaken for a Bangladeshi national in Kerala's Palakkad district. Following the incident, District Police Chief Ajit Kumar briefed the media on the arrests and said the investigation is ongoing. "A group of persons has assaulted one person from Chhattisgarh. With respect to that, one murder case has been registered, and five persons have been arrested. Five of the main accused have been arrested and remanded, and further investigation is ongoing in the case," Ajit Kumar told ANI. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed officials to ensure the strictest legal action against all those involved to prevent a recurrence. Both state governments have reiterated their commitment to ensuring justice and extending all possible support to the victim's family. (ANI)
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