Murshidabad riots: All 13 convicted of hacking father-son duo to death
Times of India | 23 December 2025
Kolkata/Berhampore: A Jangipur trial court on Monday convicted 13 persons for murdering 72-year-old Hargobindo Das and his 40-year-old son Chandan during riots in Murshidabad's Dhuliyan town on April 12. The father and son were dragged out of their home in Jafrabad and brutally hacked to death by a mob shortly after a protest against the Centre's new waqf law turned violent.
The judgment by additional district judge Amitava Mukherjee comes a little over six months after a 983-page charge sheet was filed by a 25-member Special Investigation Team led by DIG (Murshidabad Range) Syed Waquar Raza. The SIT raided nine places across Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand to arrest the 13 assailants. In one instance, a Bengal-Odisha police team came under fire at Jharsuguda in Odisha before it could nab five persons.
The IT charge sheet said the double-murder was engineered by a mob based on rumours that security personnel had fired at a local mosque. The rampaging mob burnt houses, resorted to arson, before attacking the Das family.
"The 13 were convicted for murder, robbery, trespassing, rioting with deadly weapon, causing hurt and wrongful restraint among other BNS sections," special public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee said. "This was one of the fastest convictions in Bengal in a twin murder case. The sentencing is expected on Tuesday," he added.
During trial, eyewitnesses told the court that the father and son had resisted the mob twice, but the third time the attackers returned with arms and hacked them to death. Family members who witnessed the brutal crime also testified in court.
Jawed Shamim, ADG (Law & Order) said, "We collected enough evidence and were confident and committed to securing a conviction."
The victims' family has already moved Calcutta High Court demanding a CBI probe, which is still being heard. "We will decide what to do next only after hearing the sentence on Tuesday," said Chandan's widow, Pompa.
Chandan's cousin, Prasenjit, said, "We could not go to the court today, but we will be there tomorrow for the sentencing. We believe those who were convicted were the ones who led the attack. There were others who orchestrated it from behind. They need to be caught and held accountable too. This should not be the end of the police probe. If required, we will move a higher court."
Pompa and her mother-in-law, who had shifted to Kolkata after the incident, have returned to their Jafrabad home. "The administration has put up lights. Cops come to keep check on us sporadically. But the accused are all locals, so there remains a sense of unease and anxiety when we step out of home. The brutality of the incident is difficult to imagine, and we have witnessed it with our own eyes," Prasenjit said.