The body of a migrant labourer from Murshidabad’s Sagardighi police station area, who was killed in Kerala’s Kannur district in June, was brought home on Sunday evening.

Washiqul Islam, 32, a resident of Mathurapur village, had last spoken to his family over the phone on the night of June 28.

“He was a mason and lived in Likkur area of Kannur with two other men from Murshidabad,” said Mominul, his brother. Mominul had gone to Likkur on June 30 after not being able to get in touch with his brother on phone and filed a missing diary there. After a month of no leads, he contacted Sadequl Islam, a Calcutta-based IT professional who was in the news last year for his networking efforts to help migrants during the lockdown.

After a letter by Sadequl to senior Kannur police officers, including the DIG and SP in late July, police tracked down and interrogated roommate Paresh Mondal in late August. Paresh confessed to murdering Washiqul with the help of accomplice Ganesh Mondal, for cash. “They hit Washiqul on the head with blunt weapons and buried the body beneath the floor of a bathroom that they sealed with concrete,” said a Kannur police officer. Washikul’s body was exhumed on Friday.

Kannur police arranged its return to Washiqul’s home.

Kannur police said Paresh’s accomplice Ganesh was absconding.