Assam: North Lakhimpur migrant worker missing in Andhra Pradesh amid repeated incidents

North Lakhimpur: A migrant worker from Assam has been missing for over a month while travelling by train to Kerala, officials and family members said.

Ranjit Das (38), a father of three from Gharmora Satra in North Lakhimpur, went missing from Renigunta Junction in Andhra Pradesh on October 7 while on his way to Kerala.

According to his wife, Ranjit called her on the evening of October 7, saying he had mistakenly got off the train and missed the rest of his journey.

She added that he was unfamiliar with the place and struggled to navigate his way. After the call, Ranjit’s phone went unreachable.

The family said Ranjit was employed in the fish processing industry in Kerala.

This incident comes shortly after another tragedy involving migrant workers from Assam.

Munin Dutta, a migrant worker from Assam's Dhemaji district, on November 10, was found murdered near Salem Junction in Tamil Nadu while travelling to Kerala on the Vivek Express from Dibrugarh on November 8. His companion, Rajib Chutia, has also been missing since the incident.

A family member said Munin made a frantic call on November 9, reporting that a group of men had broken one of his legs, leaving him unable to move in the coach. Munin reportedly told the relative that he “would live only for half an hour.”

Ranjit’s disappearance is the latest in a series of cases involving migrant workers from Assam who go missing or are found murdered while travelling by train to workplaces in South India, mainly on the Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and its return route.

Most such incidents have been reported at stations including Kishanganj in Bihar, Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, and several stations in Kerala.

Earlier this year, on June 10, Dharmendra Gogoi (47) from Lamu Gaon in Lakhimpur was found dead near Coimbatore Junction in Tamil Nadu.

Dharmendra was also travelling to Aluva in Kerala on the same Vivek Express and had reportedly called his son to inform him of imminent danger from a group of men.

The recurring pattern of murders and disappearances of migrant workers from Assam on the same train routes and stations has raised concerns among citizens.

Observers have pointed out that repeated incidents and delayed action by the state police and Railway Protection Force highlight gaps in security for workers from Assam who travel long distances for livelihood opportunities.