Archive · 10 Jan 2026
Migrant Youth Deaths and Disappearances Spark Concern in Assam
Three young men from Assam who had moved to other states for work have either died or gone missing.
Ilias Shamim was found dead in Arunachal Pradesh, Kiran Handique died in a factory accident in Manipur, and Utpal Handique disappeared from a train near Bhubaneswar.
Their families are very upset and want the government to help find out what happened.
Many people in their village are worried because this keeps happening to young men who leave home to find jobs.
There aren't enough jobs in Assam, and these workers don't have good protection or support when they move to other places.
Ilias Shamim's body was found in Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, under unclear circumstances.
Kiran Handique died in a factory accident in Senapati, Manipur, with family demanding a transparent investigation.
Utpal Handique disappeared from a train near Bhubaneswar while traveling to Bengaluru for a mandatory verification.
Families allege lack of effective safeguards for migrant workers from Assam.
Locals express anger and demand government intervention to address the recurring issues.
- Who
- Three migrant youths from Lakhimpur district, Assam: Ilias Shamim, Kiran Handique, and Utpal Handique
- What
- Deaths and disappearance of migrant workers, raising concerns about their safety and working conditions
- When
- Between January 2 and January 9, 2024
- Where
- Ziro (Arunachal Pradesh), Senapati (Manipur), and a train near Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
- Why
- Limited employment opportunities in Assam and lack of structured support for migrant workers
- Victims
- Ilias Shamim, Kiran Handique, Utpal Handique
- Locations
- Ziro (Arunachal Pradesh), Senapati (Manipur), Train near Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
- Incident Dates
- January 2-9, 2024
- Family Demands
- Thorough investigations and government intervention
- Migration Context
- Limited local employment, lack of social security
