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According to police, the gang brutally assaulted Bhayar at Attappallam village under the Walayar station limits after he was found wandering in the area.
Written by Shaju Philip Updated: December 19, 2025 12:02 PM IST
2 min read
A 31-year-old migrant worker from Chhattisgarh was tragically lynched in Kerala's Palakkad district after being falsely suspected of theft while appearing mentally disoriented. (File)
A mob lynched a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh to death in Kerala’s Palakkad district Thursday, suspecting him to be a thief.
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The victim, identified as Ramnarayan Bhayar (31), had been working at an industrial estate in Kanjikode, Palakkad, for the last one month. Walayar police have arrested five local persons in connection with the incident on charges of murder.
According to police, the gang brutally assaulted Bhayar at Attappallam village under the Walayar station limits after he was found wandering in the area. “He was reportedly mentally unstable. He lost his way to the industrial estate, where he was working along with other migrant workers. By evening, he was spotted near a group of women engaged in work under the MGNREGS. When he started rummaging through one of their bags, in which they usually keep meals, these women raised an alarm. A group of young men, who were nearby, rushed to the spot and assaulted him,” said an officer.
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According to the officer, no stolen material could be recovered from the youth. After the gang abandoned the migrant worker, local people alerted the police, who rushed an ambulance to the spot. Although he was taken to the district hospital in Palakkad, he was declared dead.
A doctor on duty at the government district hospital reported to police that the youth had sustained multiple injuries and was bleeding from the nose and mouth. After the doctor indicated that the profuse bleeding might have led to the death, police registered a case of murder under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Later in the night, five persons were arrested. They were identified as Murali, Prasad, Anu, Bipin and Anandan, all hailing from Attappallam village.
The post-mortem examination will be conducted on Friday and the victim’s relatives have been informed about the incident, police said.
Puthussery panchayat member Sivaraman said, “Bhayar was not involved in any theft. He had wandered in the area and was found bumping into houses seeking water. He reached the Kanjikode industrial estate only a month back. Yesterday, he might have lost his way to the estate and got stranded in the village.”
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
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