Locals In Gujarat Attack Bihar Migrants For Wearing ¡®Lungi¡¯, Set Motorbikes And Chairs On Fire

Ever since a migrant from Bihar was accused of raping a 14-month-old infant, the natives have started targeting migrant labourers to seek vengeance.

The exodus of migrants came after a furious mob started spreading messages of hate and communal disharmony on WhatsApp. Both the state and opposition governments called for peace and harmony as random men were stopped and asked about their native place.

Motorcycles were burnt and migrants¡¯ houses were also attacked. Now, even after state government and police have claimed that a peaceful environment is prevailing under Rupani¡¯s governance, a new incident of migrant attack has come to light.

Photo: TOI/ Motorcycle set ablaze in under-construction site

A civil engineer and six plumbers from the Madhubani district in Bihar were attacked by locals at night in Sama, the Times of India reported. Shatrughan Yadav, a civil engineer and other plumbers were working at a construction site of a primary school of Vadodara Municipal Corporation when the strife took place.

The workers were sitting outside the construction-site when three Sama residents arrived and questioned Yadav along with his fellows why they were wearing a ¡®lungi¡¯? A war of words took place between the two parties and seven victims got injured in the following scuffle.

Yadav immediately contacted the police control room for help. When the PCR van arrived at the spot, the assailants fled but threatened the workers to leave the city. The police however, claimed that the attack had nothing to do with labourers¡¯ origin. Keyur Parmar was one of the three accused who was arrested by policemen.

Yadav and his fellows later lodged an FIR with the police. However, when they returned to the under-construction site, a motorcycle given by Yadav¡¯s contractor had been set on fire along with two plastic chairs.

Photo: AFP/ Migrants leaving Gujarat earlier this month following the rape of a one year old

¡°We are searching for other accused and they will be arrested soon.¡± said Sama police inspector, PD Parmar. Police commissioner, Anupam Singh Gahlaut told TOI that the locals had been warning migrants for sitting indecently in a ¡®lungi¡¯ and warned them, reinstating that the clash had nothing to do with the origin of the migrants.

The contractor, Mayur Patel rushed to Vadodara from Surat when he learned of the situation. ¡°It is difficult to say what could be the reason for the attack. They told the engineer and the workers that they have a problem because they wear a lungi.¡± said Patel to TOI. The accused even threatened 30-40 labourers who were sleeping on the first-floor of the building after setting the motorbike ablaze.

After the rape of an infant, another rape of a three year old girl has come to light. Another migrant from Bihar is being suspected to be involved in this case. On Tuesday, Surat City Police personnel headed to Bihar to track down the suspect in the rape and murder of the girl, the Indian Express reported.