A special three-member committee, appointed by the Calcutta High Court, has submitted a scathing report alleging police inaction during the Waqf Amendment Act-related violence in Murshidabad. The panel revealed that law enforcement was notably absent during the April 11 attack and further accused a local councillor of instigating the violence.
The committee — comprising High Court Registrar (Law) Joginder Singh, NHRC member Satya Arnab Ghoshal and State Judicial Service Registrar Saugat Chakraborty — visited the affected areas, interacted with victims and submitted their findings to the High Court on May 15.
Key Findings of the Committee Report include police were missing in action during the April 11 incident in Dhulian, the attack was allegedly orchestrated by a local councillor, pointing to potential political involvement and shops were looted during the rampage. The committee stressed the state’s failure to protect a section of its population, calling for qualified assessment experts to evaluate the damage and personally rehabilitate the victims.
The report was reviewed by a division bench of Justices Soumen Saha and Raja Basu Chowdhury, who echoed the committee’s concerns and highlighted the urgent need for qualified experts to assess the damage and support those affected.
The violence erupted in several areas of Murshidabad district — including Dhulian, Suti, Shamsherganj and Jangipur — amid protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. The agitation began on April 4, intensifying by April 8 into widespread unrest and displacement of locals. Responding to the chaos, the Calcutta High Court ordered the formation of the three-member fact-finding committee on April 17.
Meanwhile, the state government also submitted its own report to the High Court. According to the state government: Protests began in all police station areas of the Jangipur Police District from April 4, unrest broke out on April 8, prompting deployment of central forces on April 11, a shocking double murder took place on April 12— Hargobinda Das and his son Chandan Das were killed by miscreants in Jafrabad, under Shamsherganj police station and the violence escalated further, leading to additional deployment of central forces, following court directives.
While the state maintains that the situation was eventually brought under control through police and administrative intervention, the High Court committee's findings raise serious concerns about lapses in immediate response and accountability. The HC is expected to take further action after reviewing both reports in detail.
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