Kozhikode district is currently experiencing a disturbing surge in violent clashes among migrant workers hailing from various Indian states. This escalating tension has prompted numerous residents’ associations, local clubs, and youth organizations to urgently request police intervention. Reports from both law enforcement and local administration consistently point to drug-related offenses, disputes over wages, fierce competition for work contracts, and substandard living conditions as the primary catalysts for these unsettling incidents.
The most recent tragic event occurred on October 13, when a migrant worker from Jharkhand was fatally stabbed, allegedly by his co-workers, in Ekarool near Balussery. Just last month, another grim discovery was made in Mukkom, where a 23-year-old migrant worker from West Bengal was found brutally murdered. In a separate, alarming incident, two migrant workers were apprehended in Chalappuram for their alleged involvement in assaulting a 15-year-old girl who was returning home from tuition classes.
A retired police officer, who was previously involved in tracking crimes among migrant workers in the state, noted, “Between 2016 and 2023, Kerala recorded a total of 5,202 criminal cases involving migrant workers. A significant 161 of these cases were related to murders. The updated figures for 2023-2025 are expected soon, which will allow us to assess the current situation more accurately.” He also highlighted instances where police successfully apprehended notorious criminals from other states who were covertly residing in various labor camps across Kerala.
Sources within the police and labor departments confirm that many group altercations stem directly from disagreements over payment and intense competition for labor contracts in areas traditionally dominated by specific state groups. Other contributing factors to the violence include the presence of migrants with pre-existing criminal records from their home states, conflicts arising from personal relationships, and accusations of theft or general misconduct.
“Drug trafficking and substance abuse continue to be intrinsically linked to these clashes,” stated a senior police officer from the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force. He added that statistics from the District Crime Records Bureau show Kozhikode alone registered 1,505 narcotic cases in the first half of 2025. A total of 1,603 suspects, including migrant workers, were arrested in connection with these incidents, with the majority of those apprehended coming from West Bengal, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh.
A local body member from Koodaranji panchayat observed that “unhygienic accommodations, a severe lack of basic facilities, excessively long working hours, and overcrowded labor camps are turning many migrant workers hostile and discontent.” He mentioned that the panchayat, with police support, has implemented several surveillance measures to address these unhealthy changes and the frequent involvement of laborers in drug trafficking.
Conversely, some migrant workers have voiced complaints about the poor treatment they experience from both local communities and contractors. A young migrant worker from Madhya Pradesh, temporarily residing in Kuttikkattoor, shared that many live in fear due to increasing “social harassment” linked to these ongoing clashes. He also expressed concerns that their grievances are not being adequately addressed by the police.