Too late for my family, but new laws will keep others safe: Lynch victims’ kin
Times of India | 30 June 2026
Kolkata: The state assembly on Monday passed the WB Public Safety & Control of Antisocial Activities Bill 2026 and the WB Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2026, with the families of several victims of political violence watching from the visitors’ gallery. When chief minister Suvendu Adhikari mentioned their presence, BJP MLAs stood up to give them a standing ovation.
Among those present were Parul Das and her daughter-in-law Pinki, the widows of Haragobinda Das and Chandan Das. The father-son duo from Jafrabad in Shamsherganj were lynched by a mob on April 12, 2025, when a protest against the amendment of the Waqf Act turned violent.
Tears rolled down Parul’s cheeks as she recalled the day. “If these laws were in place, my husband and son would not have been killed. We have nothing to rejoice over, but at least people will feel safer now,” she said.
Parul, who earns a living rolling bidis alongside Pinki, said they felt safe now due to a year-long police deployment outside their home. Criticizing the former administration, she added, “The previous CM sent money through the local inspector-in-charge, but I refused it. She failed to give us justice. When our home was attacked, we approached the police, the local Trinamool MLA, and the panchayat leader, but no one came.” So far, 13 people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case, but Parul fears for their lives if the convicts are released.
Speaking in the assembly, the CM termed the Shamsherganj killings and the subsequent attacks on the local community as “goonda-raj”. Adhikari confirmed that Parul had accepted a cheque from the BJP after rejecting the previous govt’s offer.
Other victims’ families also welcomed the legislation. Kalpana Maity, the widow of Debabrata Maity who died following the 2021 post-poll violence in Nandigram, felt the acts would deter political attacks. Manjuri Ari, whose mother Rathirani Ari was killed in Nandigram ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, blamed Trinamool workers for the murder. Similarly, Kalpana Samanta, whose son Raju was murdered in Diamond Harbour after the 2021 assembly polls, expressed hope that the new laws would prevent other mothers from losing their sons.