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Kerala Local Self Government Minister MB Rajesh has alleged that hate-driven politics practised by the Sangh Parivar led to the mob assault and killing of Ramnarayan Baghel, a 31-year-old migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, in Walayar. He said the incident was not merely a case of lynching but one rooted in xenophobia and racial prejudice.
“Branding a person as Bangladeshi arises out of xenophobia and racial politics,” Rajesh said, adding that Baghel was “a victim of the racial hatred being spread by Sangh Parivar across the country”.
According to Rajesh, Baghel, who had come to Kerala in search of work, was subjected to a “mob trial” after being labelled a Bangladeshi national. “Alleging that Baghel, who reached here in search of jobs, is a Bangladesh native, he was subjected to a mob trial and brutally assaulted,” the minister said, claiming that RSS activists were among those involved in the attack.
He further alleged that the political background of the accused was being concealed. “Four people arrested in connection with the crime are also accused of attempting to murder two CPI(M) workers as part of an RSS-CPM clash. Their political and criminal backgrounds are clear. Still, attempts are under way to hide the fact that the politics of animosity is behind the crime,” he said.
Rajesh said the government would not show any leniency in the investigation and promised strict punishment for those responsible. “No question has been raised on the involvement of Sangh Parivar workers,” he said, asserting that the state stood firmly with the victim’s family.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured justice to Baghel’s family and said strict action would be taken against all those responsible. In a statement, he said a Special Investigation Team led by the Palakkad Superintendent of Police had been constituted to probe the case and was directed to examine every aspect of the incident and initiate appropriate legal action. The government would also ensure suitable compensation for the bereaved family, he said.
Calling the incident unacceptable, the Chief Minister said such acts tarnish Kerala’s image as a progressive society and stressed the need for vigilance to prevent a recurrence. His remarks came as disturbing details emerged from the remand report, which revealed the extent of violence inflicted on Baghel.
According to the remand report, the accused assaulted Baghel with a clear and conscious intent to kill, subjecting him to hours of sustained violence. Medical findings recorded ahead of the post-mortem showed more than 40 injuries across his body. Severe head injuries, profuse bleeding and multiple grievous wounds were cited as the cause of death.
Investigators said heavy sticks were used in the assault, and marks on the body indicated that Baghel was thrown to the ground, kicked repeatedly and dragged. X-ray examinations confirmed that he was stomped on his face and back, pointing to prolonged torture rather than a single attack. The report also noted that those who attempted to intervene were threatened and driven away.
Baghel, a resident of Champa district in Chhattisgarh, had arrived in Kerala on December 13. He was lynched in Attappallam village in Walayar after being suspected of theft. In a video of the incident, the assailants can be heard asking him, “Are you a Bangladeshi?”
Police have so far arrested five people in connection with the case and charged them with murder. All the accused have criminal antecedents, police said, adding that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act would also be invoked. Efforts are underway to trace more suspects as the investigation continues.
Baghel’s family initially refused to receive his body from Thrissur Medical College Hospital, demanding compensation of Rs 25 lakh and that the state bear the cost of transporting the body to his village. The Kerala government later assured the family that compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh would be provided.