A joint operation by the Jharsuguda District Police and West Bengal Police led to the arrest of two individuals involved in the lynching of a father-son duo, Harogobindo Das (70) and his son Chandan Das, during communal violence in Jafrabad, under Samserganj Police Station in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, on April 12.
The arrested individuals, Bani Israel and Sefaul Haque, residents of Sulitala in Samserganj, were apprehended from the Banharpali area in Jharsuguda district, Odisha. Following the arrests, six more suspects from Murshidabad were detained during raids in the Bandhabahal area by the joint team of Jharsuguda Police and the West Bengal STF. They have been identified as Babul Sk (24), Abdul Khalek (24), Saba Karim (25), Roni Sk (23), Manarul Sk (54), and Azfarul Sk (21).
Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Himansu Kumar Lal stated that the accused had fled to Odisha following the Murshidabad violence and were in hiding in the Bandhabahal area under Banharpali Police limits.
Acting on a requisition from West Bengal Police, Jharsuguda police conducted raids during the night of April 20–21 and apprehended Bani Israel and Sefaul Haque. A pistol was recovered from their possession, and the duo attempted to escape from custody, prompting the police to fire four warning shots in the air before re-arresting them.
A case has been registered at Banharpali Police Station for criminal intimidation and illegal possession of firearms. West Bengal Police will take custody of the accused after securing court approval.
The violence in Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas was part of a larger wave of unrest across the country following the enactment of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, with protests erupting in West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
