In recent months, Punjab has witnessed a series of unsettling crimes allegedly involving migrant labourers, sparking widespread fear and a renewed debate about safety, regulation, and prejudice. The most horrifying among these was the Hoshiarpur child murder case (September 2025), where a five-year-old girl was brutally raped and murdered, reportedly by a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh. The incident sent shockwaves across the state, triggering public outrage, candlelight marches, and strong anti-migrant sentiment in several towns. Residents expressed anger over what they described as the “unchecked influx” of migrant workers without proper registration or background verification, blaming the government for lax enforcement and weak monitoring systems.
This tragic case was followed by revelations of organized criminal networks operating within Punjab’s industrial hubs. In Ludhiana, a group of migrant workers from Bihar were arrested for running a sophisticated burglary ring that targeted homes and factories. Police investigations revealed that the culprits used insider information from their workplaces to identify potential targets, adding to the growing unease among residents and employers. In Amritsar, several cases of violent robberies were reported, where domestic helpers and farmhands turned against their employers, using weapons during the assaults. The cumulative impact of these reports has made ordinary citizens feel increasingly unsafe, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas where such labourers often reside.
Adding to this tense atmosphere was a case from December 2024, when a migrant worker in Hoshiarpur was murdered and set ablaze by another migrant following a dispute. This gruesome act further deepened public anxiety and resentment, with some local village councils reportedly passing informal resolutions restricting the movement of migrant workers after dark. Civil society groups have warned that such measures risk creating a climate of discrimination and vigilantism.
In response to the growing demand for stricter oversight, the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) wrote to the Punjab government in September 2025, urging the implementation of mandatory registration, background checks, and continuous monitoring of all migrant labourers entering or residing in the state. NAPA’s letter cited a rise in crimes such as theft, assault, and drug-related offenses allegedly involving migrants, calling for inter-state coordination to ensure accountability. Police officials, while acknowledging an increase in certain crimes, pointed out that there is still no official data released by the government directly linking crime rates to the migrant population.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), during a late September 2025 press briefing, emphasized the need for better inter-agency coordination between law enforcement, social welfare departments, and NGOs to combat human trafficking and illegal labour exploitation. He described trafficking as a “grave exploitative crime” that preys on vulnerable groups, many of whom end up as unregistered or undocumented labourers in Punjab’s industrial and agricultural sectors.
Amidst this storm of public anger and fear, hundreds of intellectuals, writers, and farmer organizations issued a joint statement in September 2025 condemning what they called the “vilification” of the entire migrant community. They argued that the heinous actions of a few individuals must not be used to generalize against millions of hardworking migrants who form the backbone of Punjab’s economy. These groups highlighted that Punjab’s agriculture, construction, and textile industries are heavily dependent on migrant labour, and that stigmatizing these workers could disrupt both production and social harmony.
A May 2025 media report also warned that the narrative linking crime to migrant labour is often based more on prejudice than verified statistics. It suggested that while isolated cases do occur, the vast majority of migrants contribute positively to Punjab’s economy, often taking up jobs that locals avoid. Experts pointed out that the real issue lies in negligent hiring practices—many employers fail to conduct background checks or maintain proper worker records. Additionally, the state lacks a comprehensive system to register migrant workers, monitor their living conditions, or hold employers accountable for illegal or unsafe hiring.
Authorities have also uncovered illegal immigration and labour trafficking rackets, where agents exploit poor workers by smuggling them across state lines or into foreign destinations. These operations not only endanger lives but also create unregulated movement that complicates tracking and law enforcement.
In essence, Punjab stands at a crossroads: while public fear of rising crime is genuine and demands stronger systems of verification and accountability, it is equally important to avoid collective blame and ensure that innocent, law-abiding migrant workers are not made scapegoats for isolated acts of brutality. The challenge for the state government now is to balance law and order with social justice, ensuring both the safety of Punjab’s citizens and the dignity of those who come here seeking honest work.