The aftermath of the Waqf Act-related violence in Murshidabad took a new turn on Monday, as the families of Hargobind Das and his son Chandan—both hacked to death during the unrest— have approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging harassment by the police.
The court is expected to hear the matter on Tuesday, after the judge deferred the plea initially submitted for a Monday hearing.
Both Hargobind and Chandan’s widows have left Murshidabad and taken refuge in Kolkata, reportedly for safety reasons. Arrangements for their stay in Salt Lake were made by the BJP. However, the situation escalated when the family claimed that the Murshidabad police attempted to forcibly remove them from their temporary residence on Monday morning. According to them, police personnel broke down the door and tried to take the grieving widows back to Murshidabad against their will.
In their petition to the High Court, the women alleged mental harassment and coercion. Their legal counsel requested an urgent hearing on Monday, but the judge advised that the matter be brought forward the next day instead.
Meanwhile, the police have given a completely different account.
According to police officials, the Murshidabad police acted based on a complaint lodged by local family members of the deceased, alleging that the women had been abducted and taken to Kolkata. Police maintain that their actions were purely procedural, aimed at verifying the complaint and ensuring the safety of the women, not at enforcing any forced return.
However, the family's version remains starkly different. They assert that they have come to Kolkata voluntarily for their own protection and deny any claims of abduction. The Das family insisted they are being targeted and intimidated to silence their voices.
The issue has now taken a political turn as well. Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury leveled explosive allegations, claiming that the administration is coercing victims' families to attend the chief minister’s public events in Murshidabad.
“If the bereaved families don't attend her meeting, the chief minister’s ego is hurt. So now the police are going door-to-door to pressure and harass people who have already lost everything,” he said.
As the High Court prepares to hear the matter on Tuesday, the case is growing into a flashpoint in the already volatile situation in Murshidabad, raising serious concerns about political interference, police conduct and the safety of victims' families.
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