Murshidabad violence: Charge sheet filed by Bengal police against 13 in father-son murder case

Kolkata: The West Bengal Police have submitted a charge sheet against 13 people in the father-son double murder case in Murshidabad’s Zafarabad violence in April, a senior officer said.

The murders of Haragobindo Das (74) and his son Chandan Das (40) took place on April 11 during the Dhuliyan-Suti-Shamshergunj communal violence, amid protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the district.

The riots left at least three people dead and many injured, besides forcing hundreds to flee their homes.

The unrest, which lasted from April 8 to 12, had also caused widespread damage to public and private properties, prompting the Calcutta High Court to order the deployment of Central Armed Forces to restore law and order.

“We have submitted the charge sheet before the district court within 55 days of the crime and have named 13 people in it,” the official said on Friday.

In the aftermath of the violence, the police had arrested over 300 suspected miscreants in connection with over 60 FIRs which were lodged at various police stations in Murshidabad.

According to police reports at the Betbona village where the Das family residence was targeted, the attackers broke down the main door, dragged out Chandan Das and Hargobindo Das, and struck them with an axe in the back. A man reportedly stood guard until they died.

Reports also noted that in some attacks, the rioters cut off the water supply to prevent fires from being extinguished.

Although the details of those named in the charge sheet or the sections slapped on them were not immediately clear, a fact-finding team set up by the high court had named local Trinamool Congress leader Mehboob Alam, former chairman of the Dhuliyan Municipality, to have “directed” the attack.

The team, while submitting its report before the high court on May 21, had also stated “inactivity and absence” of the state police, and added that the men in uniform did not respond to calls from the locals during the violence.

The committee documented that "as many as 113 houses were badly affected in the village of Betbona", many of which were set on fire.