TMC MP Abhishek meets family of Bengal migrant worker killed in Pune

Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday (February 13, 2026) visited the residence of Sukhen Mahato, the migrant worker who was killed in Pune earlier this week. While Mr. Banerjee said that he will not comment on under which circumstances the death had occurred and said that it was a matter of investigation, the Trinamool leader demanded that the Maharashtra family should ensure that the family receives justice.

“The Maharashtra Police should ensure that the family receives justice. If those involved get bail, the police should oppose it,” the Trinamool Congress leader told media persons.

The visit by Abhishek Banerjee to the residence of the deceased migrant worker comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the killing a “hate crime”. In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress chairperson said that she was “shaken, enraged and sickened” by the murder of Sukhen Mahato.

Mr. Banerjee said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, particularly Purulia BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, should reach out to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demand exemplary punishment for those behind the murder. “Our Chief Minister has given instruction and no one will be spared. We will ensure that those behind the crime do not get released on bail,” he said.

Calling for protests in all blocks of the State on Saturday (February 14, 2026), the Trinamool leader urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure jobs for two brothers of Sukhen Mahato who also are working as migrant workers.

Also read: Trinamool highlights unnatural death migrant worker in Pune, blames it on targeting of Bengali speakers

While the family members of the deceased migrant worker have said that Sukhen Mahato was targeted for speaking in Bengali, Pune police have denied such reports, stating the victim was killed following an argument in a drunken state and that there was “no other angle” to the incident.

The incident occurred on February 9 in Koregaon under the Shikrapur police station limits, and two persons have been held in connection with the case.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said that the reasons for the death will be out in the public domain soon but raised questions as to why villages in West Bengal are becoming devoid of men due to migration.

The harassment, detention and attack on migrant workers from West Bengal in different parts of the country after May 2025 has become a political issue, with the Trinamool Congress linking it with Bengali language and identity. The Trinamool Congress claims that such attacks are happening in a targeted manner on migrant workers speaking in Bengali.