Deaths & disappearance of migrant youths raise alarms in Lakhimpur

North Lakhimpur, Jan 9: The first week of the New Year has cast a shadow of grief over Lakhimpur district, with three separate cases involving the death and disappearance of migrant youths reported from outside Assam, once again highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by workers who migrate in search of livelihood.

The latest incident came to light on Tuesday with the recovery of the body of Ilias Shamim, a youth from Fatehpur area of Nowboicha in Lakhimpur district, in Ziro.

Shamim, who was working in Arunachal Pradesh, was found hanging under circumstances that are yet to be officially clarified. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through his family and village, adding to a growing sense of fear among migrant households.

A day earlier, on January 8, another tragic incident was reported from Manipur. Kiran Handique (23), a resident of Handique village in Rongoti area under Dhalpur of Lakhimpur district, reportedly died while working at an iron factory in Senapati district.

According to information conveyed to his family, Kiran allegedly fell into a furnace at the factory, leading to his death. However, relatives have expressed shock and disbelief, demanding a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.

Adding to the distress is the mysterious disappearance of another youth from the same Rongoti area. Utpal Handique, a resident of Rongoti, Dhalpur, has been missing since early January while travelling by train to Bengaluru.

Utpal boarded a train on January 2 from Tatibahar station, travelling via Guwahati, for Bengaluru, where he was required to undergo an annual physical verification linked to compensation from a former employer.

Utpal had lost his left hand during his employment prior to 2014 and was receiving compensation that mandates yearly verification. According to his family, he last spoke to them on January 3 after boarding the train from Guwahati. From January 4 onwards, his phone remained unreachable.

Family members said that after repeatedly calling Utpal’s number, a co-passenger eventually answered the phone.

“The person told us that Utpal’s bag and phone were lying on the seat and that he had not returned for a long time,” a family member said. “Other passengers reportedly saw him being taken away by a Travelling Ticket Examiner at a station near Bhubaneswar. Since then, there has been no trace of him.”

The family has lodged appeals with the police to intensify the investigation and has also urged Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam Chief Minister, to intervene and ensure a coordinated effort to trace Utpal.

The back-to-back incidents have triggered widespread anger and resentment across rural pockets of Lakhimpur, from where hundreds of unemployed youths migrate to distant states every year in search of work.

Locals allege that cases of disappearance and suspicious deaths of migrant workers from Assam have been occurring at regular intervals, yet effective safeguards remain absent.

“These are not isolated incidents anymore. Our boys leave home for survival and return as bodies—or don’t return at all,” said a resident of Rongoti village. “Families are left with grief, questions and no answers.”

With limited employment opportunities and a glaring absence of structured support or social security mechanisms for unskilled and semi-skilled male workers, migration remains the only option for many, often at the cost of safety and dignity.