Sandeshkhali erupts in violence, 5 police injured as rival groups clash; gunfire and crude bombs reported
The Statesman | 6 May 2026
The night in Sandeshkhali was heavy with silence until it suddenly broke into gunfire.
Late at night, a patrol team made up of West Bengal Police and central forces was moving through Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas. The area falls under the Nazat police station. Without warning, the team came under fire. At least five police personnel were injured in the attack, including one woman officer.
Officials said the violence happened during a clash between rival groups of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Guns and crude bombs were reportedly used during the fight. After the incident, security forces recovered weapons from the spot.
Sandeshkhali has been in the news for months. Reports of alleged land-grabbing and sexual assault had earlier shocked the state. A key figure in these cases, local TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan, was arrested and named as the prime accused.
The fresh violence has once again drawn attention to the area.
Violence was not limited to Sandeshkhali. A day earlier, a BJP worker named Madhu Mondal lost his life in New Town. The incident happened in the Bhalliguri area on Tuesday evening during a victory procession.
According to police, an argument broke out when a BJP rally crossed paths with TMC supporters. The situation quickly turned violent. Mondal was allegedly beaten up by TMC workers and rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
His death led to anger among BJP supporters. They reportedly attacked houses of TMC workers in retaliation and blocked roads. To control the situation, central forces were deployed to restore order.
Earlier the same day, another life was lost in Birbhum district. TMC worker Abir Sheikh was hacked to death in Nanoor’s Santoshpur village. Police said the attack followed an argument, and Sheikh died on the spot. Another person was also injured.
The incident quickly turned political. TMC MLA-elect Bidhan Majhi accused BJP workers of the killing. However, BJP leader Shyamapada Mondal denied the allegation and demanded a fair investigation.