Migrant crimes triggering panic in the city

KOCHI: The callous killing of a local resident at Chengal near Kalady by a  migrant labourer has sent shock waves across the district with crimes  involving migrant labourers on the rise in the state. According to the police, this is for the first time in the district that a migrant labourer is being arrested for murdering a local resident. However, the local people say they had been living under panic for a long  time in areas where the migrants have camped.  “I have already removed the gold ornaments that my children were wearing. We  are extremely apprehensive of these labourers,” said  Biju, a local resident.  According to the police, though they are yet to file a report on the crimes involving migrant labourers, they vouch that the  number of such case is very high.  “A number of cases has been reported in a couple of months. With the increase in the number of migrant labours settled in Kerala, the crimes have also seen a rise,” said S Harikrishnan, DySP, Perumbavoor. Most of the migrant labourers from other states find their way to Kerala  through contractors or agents. The rest come here on the behest of their relatives or friends who are already working here. Normally, they stay in vacant commercial buildings as tenants in areas adjacent to Kalady and  Perumbavoor. Since most of these building do not have toilets or bathrooms, the migrants end up using public spaces which leads to heated arguments with the local residents. In the Chengal murder case, the victim was reportedly beaten up by the  accused following an altercation.  “Since Kalady is water-logged area, the chances for an epidemic outbreak are  very high. We continuously warn them of this, but in vain,” said Biju. The  local residents also allege that the use and sale of ganja are rampant among the migrant labourers.However, social activists have a different take on the issue. They feel that it is the migrant labourer population that is often 'victimised'. “Like every other society, one or two percent of the migrant labourers may  be criminals. But, we cannot hold the whole community responsible for the activities ,” said Geo Jose, a Perumbavoor-based social activist.