The body of 25-year-old Mohammad Salman, a native of Bagheli village in Bihar’s Supaul district, reached his home on Monday evening, triggering grief across the village as family members and residents gathered to pay their last respects.
Salman had been working as a T-shirt tailor in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, where he had been earning a livelihood to support his family. According to his relatives, he had recently travelled to Tiruppur for work and was the family’s primary breadwinner.
The family has alleged that Salman received a fraudulent phone call from a person posing as a police officer. They claimed the caller demanded Rs 5 lakh, threatened him with imprisonment if he failed to pay, and asked him to come alone to a secluded location.
According to the family, Salman left to meet the caller without informing anyone. He subsequently went missing, and his body was later recovered from a deep water-filled pit near an under-construction tunnel bridge on Park Road in Tiruppur on Saturday morning.
Family suspects foul play
Salman’s relatives have questioned the circumstances surrounding his death and alleged that he may have been murdered. They have demanded a fair and impartial investigation to determine the actual cause of his death.
Police have registered the case and launched an investigation. Officials said the exact cause of death will become clear only after the post-mortem report and completion of the investigation. No major breakthrough has been announced so far.
Officials visit family, assure assistance
Following the incident, Labour Enforcement Officer Nitin Kumar visited Salman’s family on the directions of Supaul District Magistrate Sawan Kumar.
The officer met the bereaved family, gathered details of the incident, and informed them about welfare schemes and possible financial assistance available through the Labour Department.
He assured the family that a report would be sent to senior authorities and that efforts would be made to provide all eligible government assistance.
Meanwhile, villagers also demanded a transparent investigation and financial support for the family, stating that Salman’s death has left his dependents without their sole source of income.
