Page 18 - West Bengal

15, including 2 children, killed in Kolkata hotel fire; rescue underway

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, though a short circuit is suspected, according to media report

I have lost faith in India's legal system, says RG Kar victim's father

Father of the RG Kar rape and murder victim claims that the CBI is aware of the perpetrators behind his daughter's rape and murder but is withholding details, eroding his trust in the agency

Pahalgam attack deepens Bengal's identity rift, sparks fresh polarisation

The return of four coffins from Kashmir to Bengal three deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack and one soldier killed in Udhampur has not only stirred grief, but also ignited a volatile mix of religion, politics and emotion deepening polarisation and marking a turning point in the state's identity politics. With the 2026 assembly elections less than a year away, the killings have swiftly taken on a political charge, threatening to become the emotional nucleus around which competing narratives and electoral strategies will revolve. The brutal killing of tourists Bitan Adhikari, Samir Guha and Manish Ranjan Mishra in Kashmir, allegedly after being asked to reveal their religion, has sent shockwaves through the state. The chilling nature of these targeted killings has thrust the politics of religious identity into the spotlight, with the faith of the victims now becoming a potent political tool. As parties scramble to frame the narrative through religion, nationalism and victimhood

Bengal Police warns of fake social media profiles spreading disinformation

The West Bengal Police has cautioned people to be alert of fake social media profiles claiming to be residents of Murshidabad district and spreading disinformation. Police said that they found these fake profiles posting "anti-national comments and inciting communal hatred". "We have noticed that some fake profiles on Facebook and other social media are claiming to be from residents of Murshidabad by mentioning various places there and are making anti-national comments and spreading communally provocative messages," West Bengal Police posted on Facebook. "Appropriate legal action is being taken against all such profiles. Many accounts have been and are being blocked. We earnestly request everyone not to share or forward any such provocative message that spreads division and hatred among people," it added. At least three people, including a father and son, died, and several were injured in the riots over the anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act protests that engulfed these Muslim-majority area

Murshidabad violence: 5 more held for rioting, total arrests now at 307

West Bengal Police arrested five more persons for their alleged involvement in the Murshidabad riots, taking the total number of arrests to 307, a senior officer said on Thursday. The arrested persons, nabbed from different places in the district on Wednesday, had direct links to the riots in which three people were killed and several injured, he said. "These five persons were involved in rioting. We arrested them on Wednesday," a senior officer of the Special Investigative Team (SIT) formed to probe the incidents of violence said. Efforts are on to bring back the younger son of arrested prime accused Ziaul Sheikh, who is currently in the custody of Odisha Police, the officer said. Communal clashes broke out in Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhulian and Jangipur in Murshidabad district on April 11 and 12, during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The violence had resulted in three deaths.

Submit report on probe against Kailash Vijayvargiya, others: SC to WB govt

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to submit a report on the status of investigation against BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya, Arjun Singh and others in criminal cases lodged against them in the state. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that the appeals were filed in 2020 and directed the state to file a comprehensive affidavit within a month and inform it about the stage of probe in the matter. The top court also extended their interim protection till July 23, the next date of hearing. "You want investigation to be transferred to CBI. Are you sure CBI will carry out a fair investigation?" the bench asked. The petitions sought the transfer of investigation in FIRs registered at multiple police stations in West Bengal. "The petitions are of year 2020. This court had earlier only protected the petitioners for coercive action but no stay was granted. Therefore, we direct the state of West Bengal to file a comprehensive affidavit sta

3 from Bengal died in Pahalgam terror attack, grim hour for state: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday confirmed that three persons from the state were killed in the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. Describing it to be a "grim hour" for the state, Banerjee said that her government was making all the arrangements to get family members of the victims back home from New Delhi and she was personally overseeing it. "As per the latest updated information made available to us, three persons from our state have died in the most unfortunate Kashmir violence," Banerjee said in a post on X. The three deceased are Bitan Adhikari of Baishnabghata in Kolkata, Samir Guha of Sakher Bazar in Kolkata and Manish Ranjan of Jhalda in Purulia district. "All arrangements are being put up by our administration at Delhi Airport to help the family members of the victims and their onward journey to Kolkata. Flight is likely to arrive in Kolkata at 8.30 pm today," she said. The resident commissioner's office in Delhi is in

Murshidabad violence orchestrated by 'outsiders': Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that outsiders were responsible for the violence that erupted in parts of Murshidabad over the Waqf Act, and said she would visit the troubled areas in the first week of May to evaluate the situation. Banerjee also said her government would soon expose the conspirators behind the riots that took place in two wards of Dhulian in the district. "The violence was unfortunate. We do not want riots. Some outsiders orchestrated it, but we will expose them and their conspiracy," she said at an administrative programme in Midnapore. "I have promised the families of those killed in the violence to give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each. We will also rebuild their houses under the 'Banglar Bari' scheme... I will be going there in the first week of May and evaluate the situation, Banerjee said. Governor C V Ananda Bose had on April 19 met family members of a man and his son, who were killed during violence over anti-Waqf (Amendment

'Mamata only worried about her seat': Vijayvargiya on Murshidabad violence

The violence began on April 11 in the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act

Bengal teachers who lost jobs to continue protesting outside SSC office

Over 2,000 teachers who lost their jobs as the result of a Supreme Court order continued their protest outside the office of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in Salt Lake overnight, demanding that it has to publish the list of candidates who were recruited on the basis of merit and those who got appointment by paying bribes. These teachers were among nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were cancelled by the Supreme Court on April 3 due to "widespread irregularities" in the recruitment process, which was held in 2016. "The WBSSC must be taught a lesson. We have stayed here under the open sky since last evening and will continue to be here until our demands are met," said one of the protesters. Following a meeting with some of the teachers who lost their jobs, state Education Minister Bratya Basu had said that the list of "deserving and undeserving" candidates would be published in two weeks. The teachers were expecting that the WBSSC wou

JSW breaks ground on 1,600MW power plant at Salboni in West Bengal

Chief Minister Banerjee described it as a "big moment", while Jindal said it was his "dream project"

We are alleged of encroaching upon parliamentary, executive functions: SC

"As it is, we are alleged of encroaching upon the parliamentary and executive functions," Supreme Court's Justice B R Gavai said on Monday in an apparent reference to recent attacks on the judiciary while hearing a matter over West Bengal violence. Justice Gavai, who was heading a bench also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, made a similar observation in another matter. While one matter was over the recent violence in West Bengal during anti-Waqf law protests, the other plea sought a direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps to prohibit streaming of sexually explicit and pornographic content on OTT and social media platforms. While hearing the plea over online content, Justice Gavai said, "Who can control it? It is for the Union to frame a regulation in that regard." "As it is, we are now criticised that we are interfering with the executive's function, the legislative functions," Justice Gavai told advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain who was appearing in the matter. Aft

Waqf Act row: SC allows party to withdraw plea for probe into WB violence

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the petitioner to withdraw a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the violence in West Bengal over the newly-amended Waqf (Amendment) Act. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Koiswar Singh allowed the petitioner in-person advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha to withdraw the petition while granting him the liberty to file a fresh plea. The top court pulled up Jha over the averments made in his writ petition saying they were without any proper verification aside from the necessary parties. "You seem to be in some kind of hurry," the bench said. Jha was observed to have relied on media reports and the court asked him to do a proper verification of his claims in the plea and file a fresh one. The Calcutta High Court recently ordered the deployment of central forces in violence-hit Murshidabad district. Several people were killed and hundreds rendered homeless in communal violence in parts of Murshidabad district, mainly Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian and

West Bengal Guv Ananda Bose hospitalised with chest ailment: Raj Bhavan

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose was admitted to the Eastern Command Hospital here on Monday after he complained of chest pain, a senior Raj Bhavan official said. He was taken there around 10 am. Doctors are currently monitoring his condition and will take a call on the next course of treatment after carrying out necessary tests. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid a visit to Bose at the hospital before leaving for Salboni in Paschim Medinipur to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony of the 1,600 MW power plant of JSW. "I visited the Governor at the Command Hospital since he is ill. I have directed my chief secretary to take necessary steps in this regard," Banerjee told reporters before boarding her helicopter at Dumurjola helipad in Howrah. The senior Raj Bhavan official said Bose had complained of chest congestion after returning from riot-hit Murshidabad on Saturday.

Daily life in Murshidabad resumes after violent protests, schools reopen

West Bengal Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday claimed that Hindus are under threat in the state

West Bengal CM turns to 'universal religion' to blunt communal polarisation

Tensions have remained high following the eruption of violence in Murshidabad over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025

Mamata accuses BJP-RSS of 'divisive politics' after Murshidabad violence

Banerjee alleged that certain groups were using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident" to promote a divisive agenda

NCW visits riot-hit Murshidabad; TMC calls panel BJP's political wing

A delegation of the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by its chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, on Saturday met riot-hit people in West Bengal's Murshidabad district and assured them that the Centre would take necessary steps to ensure their safety. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, questioned the NCW's neutrality, accusing it of functioning as a "political wing of the BJP." During the visit, affected women shared their harrowing experiences from the recent communal violence, which claimed three lives. They demanded the establishment of permanent BSF camps in select areas and called for an NIA probe into the clashes. Rahatkar said, "I am dumbfounded by the agony these women are having to suffer. What they went through during the violence is beyond imagination." The NCW chief assured the victims that there was "no cause for worry" as the Centre is with you. "We have come here to see your plight. Please don't worry. The country and the commission are with you. Don't th

VHP protests Murshidabad violence nationwide, demands President's rule

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Saturday staged protests in different parts of the country against the recent communal violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad over the amendments made to the Waqf law, demanding immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state. The protests were held in Murshidabad, Delhi and Noida, among other places, with VHP members claiming a complete breakdown of law and order in the Mamata Banerjee-ruled state where clashes claimed at least three lives last week. In Delhi's Nangloi Chowk, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) general secretary Bajrang Bagda led a protest condemning the violence in West Bengal. In Noida, the VHP took out a rally raising slogans against the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal led by its national spokesperson Vinod Bansal. "Protests were held at multiple locations across the country, barring Punjab, because the Trinamool Congress is carrying out a cycle of oppression and repression of Hindus in connivance with Bangladeshi-Rohingya

'They want sense of security': WB Guv meets Murshidabad violence victims

Governor Bose further said that he would discuss the demands of the victims with both the central and State governments