Man held in Vellore for death of migrant worker

A 51-year-old landlord was arrested by Vellore North police on Saturday for reportedly beating a migrant worker, who was mistaken for a thief, to death a few days ago.

The police said the arrested person was identified as R. Suresh, 51, house owner.  The victim Joyhind Munda, 39, was a migrant worker from Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal.

Initial inquiry revealed that on June 17, along with 13 fellow migrant workers from West Bengal, Munda was on his way to Chennai to work at a construction site.

The police said that Munda and other workers arrived at the Katpadi railway station after which Munda left the station to meet his friend in town. He was loitering in the residential quarters near the new bus terminus on Old Katpadi Road. The police said that a few residents, including suspect Suresh picked up an argument with Munda over the purpose of the visit. They reportedly assumed that he was involved in a theft attempt in the area.

The police said the residents and Munda exchanged blows, and the latter was badly injured. On being informed, Vellore North police admitted him at Government Pentland Multispeciality Hospital where he died around 3 a.m the following day.

A case was registered. When the police analysed CCTV camera footage, they found Suresh hitting Munda with wooden logs. Later, Suresh was arrested and lodged at Central Prison in Vellore. A probe is under way.