KEY POINTS
- Protests over Waqf Act turned into anti-Hindu riots after Friday prayers
- Hindu homes, shops, and temples were looted, burned; over 400 Hindus fled to Malda
- Hargobind Das and son Chandan Das killed by mob; police allegedly arrived 4 hours late
In the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district of West Bengal, terrible violence broke out on April 11 during protests against the new Waqf Amendment Act. What began as a protest soon turned into targeted attacks against the Hindu community.
According to reports, the violence started after Friday (Jumma) prayers and continued into the next day, April 12. During this time, Hindu homes, shops, and temples were attacked, set on fire, and destroyed. Many Hindus had to run for their lives. Thousands fled to the nearby Malda district using boats, leaving everything behind.
On April 22, a group of journalists from Insight visited the affected areas in Murshidabad. They met Hindu families who had lost everything in the violence. These families shared their heartbreaking experiences.
They told the journalists about:
Murders and attacks on temples and homes
How announcements from mosques were used to guide the attackers
The failure of local police to stop the violence
How local leaders from the ruling TMC party were involved or did nothing
The victims said clearly that they were attacked just because they were Hindus.
A detailed ground report with these testimonies was published by Insight on YouTube on May 1.
Parul Das Recalls Horror As Mob Killed Husband And Son, Police Arrived Hours Later
Parul Das, a resident of Murshidabad, shared the terrifying events of April 11, when a violent mob attacked her family. Her husband Harogobindo Das and son Chandan Das were brutally killed by the mob.
Parul said the mob came three times. The first time, they looted a shop and left. The second time, they destroyed the family’s kitchen and threw stones and bottles at their house. When they came the third time, they were carrying weapons like spades, shovels, and sharp tools. That’s when they dragged out her husband and son and killed them. “My husband was hacked near the drain. My son was murdered under a tree,” she recalled in tears.
She said no one from the police helped. “The police came 4 hours later. If they had come earlier, the murders could have been stopped,” she said. Four people—Kalu Nadar, Dildar Nadar, Inzmam Ul Haque, and Ziaul Sheikh—were arrested for the murder.
Parul said she recognized the attackers after seeing them on TV. “We are living in fear. We want a BSF camp here for protection,” she added. Her home is now destroyed. “There are no doors left. I cannot stay here anymore,” she said. She also mentioned that her family had no enemies, and she doesn’t know why they were targeted. Now, she and her daughter-in-law Pinki Das are being harassed by local Trinamool Congress workers and even the police.
TMC Councillor Gave The Green Signal”: Hindu Victim Reveals Shocking Role In Murshidabad Violence
A Hindu man named Dipen Mondal shared how a local TMC councillor played a role in the Murshidabad violence. He told the Insight team that the councillor was present during the attack and could have stopped the mob, but did nothing.
Dipen said, “Amirul, the TMC MLA from Samserganj, was also there. He saw everything. After he came, the attack began from that side. Even the people with him took part in the looting and destruction.” He questioned how attackers from other villages came and carried out the violence if the local councillor didn’t allow or support it. “If he told them not to come, they wouldn’t have,” Dipen said.
Dipen and his family were so scared that they had to flee their village and stay in Par Lalpur in Malda for over a week. He was upset that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee didn’t even visit or send help. “This happened to your own people in Bengal, and she didn’t have time to come?” he asked. But things got worse when the police forced them to return to Murshidabad. Dipen said, “The police told us to go back. They said they couldn’t let us stay in Malda and threatened to file cases against us.”
He also shared how Muslims broke into a temple and tried to enter a nearby shop. Another Hindu victim, Banawasi Mandal, said, “We need a BSF camp here to feel safe. We have lost everything. There is no food, no clothes, and no home left. Everything was burned.”
They Spat, Urinated Near Temple, Forced My Brother-in-Law to Say ‘Bismillah'” — Jharna Mondal Shares Shocking Ordeal
On April 12, Hindu woman Jharna Mondal shared a horrifying account of how a Muslim mob attacked her family and damaged a nearby temple. She said around 2000 to 5000 people came and destroyed the temple. They even spat and urinated in front of it to insult the Hindu faith.
Jharna said her brother-in-law was beaten by six men who forced him to say “Allah” and “Bismillah.” They threatened him and told him to leave the village. She cried for help, but no one — not the police, not the village leader — came to protect them.
“There were only five police officers, and they ran away in fear,” she said. “Even when we begged them, they didn’t help.” According to her, the Border Security Force (BSF) saved the villagers. “If BSF hadn’t come, we’d be dead. We want BSF camp for protection, not Mamata’s police.”
Another Victim, Samar Das, Shares His Pain
Samar Das, a Hindu man from Jafrabad, also shared how a violent mob attacked his house. They threw stones, broke into his home, looted gold and ₹20,000 in cash — money he had saved for eye surgery. “They even held a knife to my wife’s neck to steal her earrings,” he said.
His brothers and daughter were injured when the mob hurled bombs at their house. The police, he said, did not come for four hours even after repeated calls. “I am a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), but still my house was attacked — just because I am a Hindu,” he said.
He revealed that a local mosque used its loudspeakers to call people to attack Hindus after morning prayers. “This violence was planned. Muslim houses were untouched, only Hindu homes were targeted,” he added. Samar also said that life has become very hard for Hindus in their village. “We are not allowed to perform Puja, temples are being burnt, idols are broken. What is our fault? We are attacked for following Sanatan Dharma.”
He asked why West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stayed silent. “Even if a dog of a Muslim dies in Gujarat, Mamata Didi reacts. But now, when Hindus are suffering in Bengal, she says nothing.” Samar made a strong appeal to the central government. “Please help us, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Our children are hungry, scared, and unable to go to school. We want justice and rehabilitation.”
In April 2023, the Murshidabad district in West Bengal saw serious violence. The violence mainly targeted Hindu families during protests. Many people were injured, some were killed, and hundreds had to leave their homes. One of the worst incidents was when a mob attacked the house of Hargobind Das and killed him along with his son Chandan Das. Another person named Izaz Ahmed Sheikh also died during the unrest. More than 400 Hindus, including women and children, ran away to Malda district to stay safe. To bring the situation under control, the government stopped internet services and put rules like Section 144 in place, which stops people from gathering in large groups.
In 2024 in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, two groups of people got into a fight after a message on a digital display board at the entrance of a Kartik Puja pandal upset one group. The fight led to stone-pelting, damage to shops and homes, and even crude bomb attacks. A police vehicle was also attacked, which forced the police to use lathis (batons) to control the crowd.
The fight started late Saturday night and continued until early morning. Although the situation is now under control, tension still remains. Most shops stayed closed, and police along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) teams are patrolling the area.
Police have arrested 15 people who were involved in the violence. They have also stopped internet services in the area to prevent the spread of rumors. To keep things peaceful, the authorities have enforced Section 163 of the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which stops large gatherings in Beldanga and nearby areas like Kazisaha and Begurban.
The BJP has blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for not taking action, claiming that the attackers were from a particular group.
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