In Murshidabad, West Bengal, violence targeting Hindus erupted during protests linked to the Waqf Amendment Bill. A fact-finding committee set up by the Calcutta High Court has released a damning report, implicating local leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), including municipal councilors and a sitting MLA. The report describes an orchestrated campaign of violence in which Hindu homes were set ablaze, water supplies were deliberately cut to prevent firefighting, and widespread looting and destruction occurred.
The unrest began around 2:30 PM on 11 April 2025, and continued into 12 April, affecting several areas including Betbona village, Dhuliyan, Palpara (Ward 16), Samserganj, Hijaltala, Shiulitala, Digri, and Ghoshpara. Betbona was the worst hit, with 113 homes rendered uninhabitable.
Water Supply Sabotaged to Prevent Firefighting Efforts
According to the report, attackers deliberately disabled access to water, ensuring that fires could not be extinguished once homes were set ablaze. Water pipelines were severed, tanks were smashed, and submersible pumps were destroyed, leaving residents defenseless as their homes went up in flames. Kerosene was used to ignite the fires, turning possessions into ashes. In many cases, even the clothing inside homes was burned, leaving women without anything to wear.
The investigation committee documented numerous victim testimonies that painted a disturbing picture of the targeted brutality. All of those affected were from the Hindu community and recounted how their homes were torched, valuables looted, and their families assaulted with lethal weapons.
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Pratima Mandal (Betbona): Pratima reported finding a live bomb near her residence. She said that gold jewelry and furniture were stolen from her home. Other victims in the same attack included Manoj Roy, Akash Mandal, Bikash Mandal, Nikhil Mandal, Chitta Roy, Babul Mandal, Nibarun Mandal, Shampa Mandal, Bhabananda Ghosh, Basudeb Mandal, Ram Mandal, Arjun Mandal, and Latika Mandal.
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Prasanta and Saraswati Mandal: The couple shared that their vehicles—including a Toto van, a motorcycle, a bicycle, and a tractor—were looted and then set ablaze.
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Phoolchand and Palash Mandal: This family of three, including a small child, said their house was completely destroyed, rendering it unlivable. Phoolchand recounted how those trying to help his wife and child were attacked with knives. He sustained critical injuries to his neck and abdomen.
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Parul Das: Parul described how assailants broke into his home, shattered windows, and hurled bottles and stones. His wife and son were abducted. The attackers had their faces covered to avoid being identified.
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Hargovinda Das and Chandan Das: In what was one of the most gruesome incidents, 74-year-old Hargovinda and his 40-year-old son Chandan were killed with an axe by Muslim neighbors. Witnesses claimed that one of the attackers stood guard until both were dead. The murders, which took place on April 12, caused such fear that few people even attended the funerals.
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Krishna Chanda Pal: Krishna stated that attackers looted ₹17 lakh worth of gold and furniture from his home. They broke in through the rear entrance and assaulted his family members.
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Jai Ram Pal: He reported that both his pottery shop and cyber café were completely destroyed by fire.
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Apurba K.R. Pal and Kripa Sindhu Pal: These victims said they lost a bicycle, a 32-inch television, and about ₹2 lakh during the violence.
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Nabin Chanda Pal and Sankar Pal: Nabin said that ₹80,000 saved for his son’s wedding and two pieces of gold jewelry were stolen. His entire household was reduced to rubble.
When houses of people were set ablaze in Murshidabad, ‘miscreants’ cut off water supply, destroyed the water tank and submersible pump so the desperate victims couldn’t even extinguish the fire.
-They burnt all the clothes in the house so *women didn’t have anything to cover… pic.twitter.com/8R5p0cEtfA
— Padmaja Joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) May 21, 2025
Role of Local Leaders and Inaction by Police
The report states the violence was incited by local TMC councilor Mehboob Alam, who was present at the scene with masked attackers. Later, TMC MLA Amirul Islam arrived, pointed out untouched houses, and the mob torched them too. He made no attempt to stop the violence and left quietly.
Despite repeated calls for help, the local police remained inactive—this even though the affected area was only 300 meters from a police station. The inquiry committee labeled the police response a case of severe dereliction of duty.
Temples Attacked, Shops Looted
In Ghoshpara, 29 shops were damaged or looted. A commercial market was ransacked and shut down. Grocery stores, hardware shops, electronics retailers, and clothing outlets were destroyed, along with essential documents. Temples were desecrated—reports allege acts of urination in front of temples and that Hindus were forced to recite Islamic declarations under duress.
Post-Violence Conditions and Call for Justice
Following the attacks, Betbona village remains in ruins, with displaced women seeking refuge with relatives. Victims continue to live in fear, with little assistance from authorities. The inquiry committee—comprising members of the National Human Rights Commission, State Legal Services Authority, and the judiciary—submitted its findings to the Calcutta High Court’s division bench on 20 May 2025.
The report clearly concludes that the violence was a targeted, organized assault on the Hindu community, facilitated by local TMC leaders and tolerated by an inactive police force. The events unfolded under the guise of opposition to legislative reform, but the scale and nature of the attacks point to something far more sinister.
Despite the seriousness of the findings, there has been little national outrage or media coverage. Those who frequently raise concerns over “democratic backsliding” have remained silent, raising serious questions about selective activism and whether justice will ever be served for the victims of this violence.
(With Inputs From OpIndia)
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