Murshidabad/Malda/Seelampur | April 19, 2025
Widespread communal violence erupted in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district following the recent implementation of amendments to the Waqf Act, leading to deaths, mass displacement, and heightened communal tensions. Amid escalating unrest, West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose visited the affected areas, defying Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s request to postpone his trip.
According to officials, at least three people lost their lives in violent clashes that broke out on April 11 and 12 across several Muslim-majority areas of Murshidabad, including Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhuliyan, and Jangipur. The violence, reportedly triggered during protests against the central government’s amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, has forced hundreds of families to flee their homes and seek refuge in temporary camps in neighboring Malda.
Governor Defies CM’s Appeal, Visits Relief Camps
Governor CV Anand Bose, who visited one such relief camp in Malda on Friday, condemned the violence strongly.
“Whatever has happened should never have happened. If I say so, a dance of death is going on in many places on the streets of Bengal. This kind of violence can never be tolerated. We must make efforts, and everyone has to come together. After visiting the area and sharing the sentiments of the people there, I will make an action plan to take it in mission mode, that is, to fight against violence at any cost.”
Despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s appeal to postpone the visit, citing concerns over escalating tensions, the governor insisted on meeting with the victims directly. He spoke with displaced families at the relief camp in Malda and promised to raise their concerns with the appropriate authorities.
“People were intimidated, assaulted, and abused. Miscreants entered homes, especially targeting women. Many victims are afraid to return. Normalcy must be restored immediately,” he stated.
National Commission for Women, NHRC Take Notice
The National Commission for Women (NCW) also dispatched a team to assess the situation on the ground. Visiting the same Malda camp, the NCW team met with displaced women and families, gathering testimonies of violence and abuse. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the events and deployed its investigation team to Murshidabad. The NHRC team is expected to submit a detailed report within three weeks.
Communal Tensions Spread to Delhi’s Seelampur
Beyond West Bengal, tensions have also flared in the national capital. In Seelampur, a Muslim-majority neighborhood of Delhi, violent protests broke out following the murder of a 17-year-old Hindu youth, Kunal. His family has accused a local Muslim girl, Zikra, of orchestrating the killing with the help of a gang of armed miscreants. According to Kunal’s mother, Zikra, who was recently released from jail, threatened to kill her son and allegedly carried out the murder when she found him alone.
Enraged residents blocked roads in Seelampur, demanding justice, resulting in a major traffic jam. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta responded to the unrest, saying, “I have spoken with the Police Commissioner. FIR has been registered. The police are actively searching for the accused. Justice will be served, and no stone will be left unturned.”
As communal tensions continue to simmer in different parts of the country, the central and state governments are under pressure to take swift action. The incidents in Murshidabad and Seelampur have sparked concerns over the increasing frequency of communal violence tied to religious and political changes.
Back in Murshidabad, the displaced families, many of whom have lost everything, now wait in makeshift shelters for a return to peace.
“We had to leave everything behind,” said a victim in Malda. “We just want to go home without fear.”
With central authorities now closely monitoring the situation and multiple investigative teams on the ground, the hope remains that a decision
