Murshidabad violence 'orchestrated', claims fact-finding team

A fact-finding team which visited Murshidabad a week after the supposed ‘’ which broke out there, has concluded that the violence was as well as targeted communities. Raising serious questions about the role of the police — including a ‘masked mob’ described as ‘miscreants’ by the people but as ‘Muslim terrorists’ by the police in FIRs — the team demanded an independent probe.

The team comprised members from five civil society groups — Feminists in Resistance (FIR), Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), Committee for the Release of Political prisoners (CRPP), Nari Chetna and Songram Moncho, Murshidabad.

Besides demanding a judicial probe, the team recommended the unconditional release of detained persons, compensation and rehabilitation for affected families, recording of FIRs filed by victims, and disciplinary action against police and for dereliction of duty, not following legal protocols and making illegal arrests. The team also wondered why, besides suspending the internet on 8 April, no action was taken to maintain peace; and why no peace committees were formed. 

In the face of police inaction, people from both Hindu and Muslim communities formed groups of volunteers and guarded temples and mosques together, the team reported. In Maheshpur, Dighri Paharghanti and Lalpur Singhpara, residents formed volunteer groups to maintain vigil and prevent the entry of outsiders.

“Some media outlets contributed to the suspense and suspicion by airing rumours as news without bothering to verify them. Many places we visited had not seen or met reporters and media persons before the team met them on 18 and 19 April 2025," the team's report said.

Masked individuals dressed as police and BSF personnel, people told the team, carried out raids in Hausnagar from 8.00 pm on 12 April until 3.00–4.00 am the next day. The masked men raided homes in Muslim localities and picked up young men aged 17–30 without any warrants or explanations. Family members were unsure of the identity of the uniformed and masked men and preferred to call them miscreants.

Significantly, the report claims that these raids targeted only Muslim villages, while ‘attack and arson’ took place in two Hindu areas. Curiously, in police FIRs, the masked men have been described as ‘Muslim terrorists’ while most of the ‘arrested’ youth were found in Jangipur and other prisons.

If they were indeed policemen, why were they in masks? People the team spoke to also claimed that these fake ‘policemen’ carried knives, daggers, and hammers. “Most of the Muslims arrested complained of custodial torture. Women complained that the ‘police’ entered their houses at night without their consent. There were complaints of harassment. Hassan Sheikh and Ghiasuddin Sheikh are still in hospital fighting for their lives,” the report stated.

In yet another significant finding, the team discovered that areas with a mixed population remained peaceful. In Ward 11, Kamat, though all residents are Muslim, four Hindu shops and a temple remained untouched. Again, while there was peace in Paharghanti, Betbona came under attack though it is barely 200 meters away.