Murshidabad violence: HC panel blames police, names TMC leader in report

Business Standard

21-05-2025

A court-appointed probe committee investigating the violent protests in Murshidabad over the Waqf (Amendment) Act has pointed to grave administrative lapses, including police inaction and the alleged involvement of a Trinamool Congress leader in orchestrating attacks.
The three-member panel, formed by the Calcutta High Court on April 17, has submitted its findings, revealing that the main assault occurred on April 11 and was allegedly led by Mehboob Alam, a local councillor from the ruling Trinamool Congress. The report noted that the attacks appeared to be targeted, with homes and shops belonging to Hindu families systematically destroyed.
Panel describes Murshidabad April 11 assault and police absence
According to the report, the primary assault took place after 2:30 pm on April 11 in Dhulian town and surrounding areas like Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala and Digri. 'The attacks were directed by the local councillor Mehboob Alam… the local police were completely inactive and absent,' the committee observed.
The panel alleged that Alam arrived with miscreants whose faces were covered. As the violence escalated, homes were set on fire. 'Amirul Islam came, saw which houses were not attacked, and then the attackers set them ablaze… The villagers of Betbona telephoned, but the West Bengal Police did not respond… The MLA was also present. He saw the vandalism and went away,' the report noted.
To prevent any immediate response, water connections were reportedly severed. In Betbona village alone, 113 houses were the worst affected, with the report stating that 'the homes are destroyed and would not be habitable without thorough re-construction… the women of the village are afraid and have taken shelter with their relatives.'
Stabbings and arson reported on April 12 in Murshidabad
On April 12, the violence took a gruesome turn when Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan Das were found stabbed to death in their home in Shamsherganj's Jafrabad locality. The panel stated that they were killed by neighbours amid the communal unrest.
Shops, malls and temples were ransacked and set ablaze. In Ghoshpara, 29 shops were damaged, while a shopping mall-style market was looted and shut down. 'Grocery shops, hardware shops, electrical and textile stores were destroyed,' the report said. Most of the destruction took place within 300 metres of the local police station.
Earlier state report confirms scale of unrest
An earlier report submitted by the West Bengal government to the high court also confirmed the scale of the violence. It traced the unrest to protests that began on April 4 across police station areas in Jangipur district. These demonstrations intensified into full-scale violence by April 8, prompting the deployment of central forces on April 11 and additional troops on April 12 as per high court orders.
The government report said that the situation was eventually brought under control in areas like Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj and Jangipur through coordinated police and administrative efforts.
Calcutta HC recommends rehabilitation and compensation
The Calcutta High Court had constituted the panel to assess the ground reality and recommend rehabilitation measures for the affected. The team included Joginder Singh (Registrar, Law, NHRC), Satya Arnab Ghosal (Member Secretary, WBLSA), and Saugata Chakraborty (Registrar, WBJS). The committee emphasised the need for tailored rehabilitation packages, expert valuation of damages, and compensation to help victims rebuild their lives.
BJP, TMC trade charges over communal violence in Murshidabad
The violence has sparked a political row in West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the state government of failing to protect Hindu families, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the violence was 'orchestrated and well-planned'.
(With agency inputs)