Investigation Reveals Police Inaction During Murshidabad Violence

Findings of the Fact-Finding Committee

A recent investigation by a three-member committee appointed by the Calcutta High Court has concluded that the police were 'entirely inactive and absent' during the communal unrest in Murshidabad, West Bengal, which occurred in April. This report was highlighted by a prominent news outlet on Thursday.

The committee's findings, derived from testimonies of individuals affected by the violence, indicated that law enforcement failed to respond to emergency calls from local residents. Notably, Trinamool Congress leader Mehboob Alam was reportedly present at the scene during the disturbances.

The violence erupted on April 11 and 12 amid protests against amendments to the Waqf Act, which had been passed by Parliament on April 4. Tragically, three individuals lost their lives during these events.

A waqf refers to an endowment under Islamic law intended for religious, educational, or charitable purposes. Each state has a waqf board, which is a legal entity authorized to manage property.

The recent amendments to the Waqf Act have been criticized for limiting the powers of waqf boards and increasing government oversight. Detractors argue that these changes infringe upon the right to equality and the freedom to manage religious matters.

The committee, established by Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury, includes Joginder Singh from the National Human Rights Commission, Satya Arnab Ghosal from the West Bengal Legal Services Authority, and Saugata Chakraborty from the West Bengal Judicial Service.

Their report, dated April 27, was presented to the court earlier this week.

One witness recounted that masked individuals from Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala, and Digri participated in the violence. According to the report, Alam was seen with the mob on April 11, but he reportedly left after witnessing the destruction the following day.

The committee noted that calls were made to the West Bengal Police at 4 PM on both days of the violence, but there was no response.

The report detailed incidents of vandalism, including the destruction of a water bottle shop where approximately Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 was stolen. A shopping mall in Ward 12 was also looted, and 29 shops were damaged in Ghoshpara. In Betbona village, around 113 houses suffered significant damage.

As of now, there has been no official statement from the Trinamool Congress or the West Bengal Police regarding the findings. Previously, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the violence as 'a well-planned conspiracy.' Meanwhile, Trinamool spokesperson Joy Prakash Majumdar stated he was unaware of the report and refrained from commenting.