A 19-year-old construction worker, Juyel Rana, from West Bengal, was lynched in Sambalpur, Odisha, on December 24, 2025. Rana's family alleges that the mob accused him of being a Bangladeshi immigrant. However, Odisha police have stated that the violence stemmed from a monetary dispute and denied any communal or linguistic motivation.

According to sources, the incident occurred around 8:30 pm in the Shantinagar area when Juyel and other construction workers were returning from work. A group of individuals confronted the laborers, accusing them of being illegal immigrants and demanding to see their identification. While the laborers reportedly presented valid IDs, the assailants began assaulting them. Three of the laborers managed to escape, but Juyel was caught and brutally beaten, resulting in his death at the scene.

Juyel's mother, Nazma Bibi, stated in a written complaint that she received a call informing her that her son and his colleagues were attacked by locals who accused them of being Bengali-speaking Bangladeshis and threatened to kill them. She said they were assaulted with sticks, iron rods, and sharp weapons. Two other migrant workers sustained serious injuries during the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Sambalpur.

Odisha IGP Himanshu Lal stated that six people have been arrested and further investigation is underway. The police claim the monetary dispute escalated after local youths asked the workers for bidis. However, family members and migrant worker groups have rejected this claim. Juyel's uncle, Paltu Sheikh, who worked with him, suspects the murder was a reaction to the recent lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh.

The incident has sparked outrage, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the BJP of creating an atmosphere of fear and hatred against Bengali-speaking migrants. Samirul Islam, the head of the West Bengal Labour Welfare Board, stated that Bengali-speaking migrant workers are once again being targeted in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Juyel's body has been taken to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) morgue, and a post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted. The incident has left Juyel's village in Murshidabad in deep shock and grief, with family members demanding justice and protection for migrant workers across the country.