Migrant worker from Odisha succumbs to burn injuries in TN days after shed he was sleeping in set on fire

Another migrant worker injured in the incident, 21-year-old Shajuram, sustained over 40 per cent burns and is said to be in critical condition. Yashwant and Gokul, the two others who were injured, were in stable condition.

Officers say the workers’ shed was likely to have been set on fire in connection with the rape and murder of a 27-year-old woman who was killed in March, for which the woman’s family and local residents had blamed migrant workers.

Though police had arrested a 17-year-old boy in that murder, local residents continued to suspect that these migrant labourers were also involved. In the weeks since then, migrant labourers in the area had been targeted in a number of attacks.

On Sunday, following protests by locals, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu ordered the transfer of the 27-year-old’s murder case to the Crime Branch-CID.

On the same day, the migrant workers’ shed was set on fire. Police officers suspect that miscreants soaked a cloth with kerosene, set it on fire and put it on the shed, built of asbestos sheets, when the workers were sleeping.

Other workers who were nearby heard the screams of the victims and rushed them to the Government Medical College Hospital in Karur.

There are around 381 migrant workers employed in around 14 production units in the locality.

Police, who had initially registered a case under attempt to murder charges, have now added murder charges after Rakesh’s death.

Eight special teams have been deployed to find the perpetrators.

Police have also been deployed in large numbers in villages around Jedarpalayam, and checkposts have been erected, in an effort to prevent any further untoward incident.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Namakkal Collector Shreya P Singh said the situation at Jedarpalayam was under control and that all possible measures had been taken to ensure the safety of the migrant workers there.

She also said that a list of migrant workers and the units in which they are employed have been drawn up, and that the administration was in contact with them.

“The situation is normal, people are carrying out their day-to-day activities. Government officials are constantly in touch with the labourers, and they have been told not to panic or feel insecure and that we are here to protect them. All our numbers, including of the collector, the superintendent of police, and other officials are provided to the workers to contact for any grievances. The details are provided in Hindi for their convenience,” she said.