Delhi Police Accused of Illegal Detention, Torture of Bengali-Speaking Muslim Migrant Workers

Delhi Police Accused of Illegal Detention, Torture of Bengali-Speaking Muslim Migrant Workers
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Human rights activists have accused Delhi Police of illegally detaining and torturing several Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers by falsely labelling them as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, Muslim Mirror reported. The allegations emerged following a police raid on June 25 at a brick factory in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, conducted by personnel from Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh Police Station.

Seven Muslim migrant workers, including minors aged six and eleven, were reportedly picked up during the raid. All detainees are from West Bengal and had migrated to Haryana for seasonal work in brick kilns. Family members stated that the police initially claimed the operation was a routine document check but subsequently took the workers into custody without due process.

Ajima, wife of one detainee, said her husband and others were subjected to harsh treatment, including confiscation of mobile phones and money, denial of food, medical care, and legal assistance. Prominent activist Kirity Roy noted that the workers were Indian citizens repatriated from former Bangladeshi enclaves under the 2015 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA). Despite formal citizenship, many returnees faced inadequate rehabilitation, forcing them to migrate for work.

Roy’s letter to the National Human Rights Commission details cases of alleged custodial torture, including one victim beaten with blunt objects and released in poor condition. Activists report continued detention of women and children without basic rights. Efforts to contact Delhi Police have gone unanswered, raising concerns over a troubling pattern of wrongful identification and unlawful detention of Bengali-speaking Muslims.