World
India
Standing right in front of the Shamsherganj Police Station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, the road stretching ahead appears deceptively ordinary. But on April 11, this very path became the route of a protest rally that would soon explode into chaos and violence.
The rally was reportedly organized in opposition to a bill. As the procession moved past the police station toward National Highway 12, it turned violent. Just a hundred meters from the police station, the violence began to unfold — shops were vandalized, homes attacked, and temples desecrated. What began as a protest quickly spiraled into a nightmare for many residents of the area.
Protest Rally Turns Violent Near Police Station
“I’ll show you the exact road the rally took. It started right here,” the reporter from NewsX explained, pointing to a narrow lane near the police station. “As the protestors moved ahead, attacks began almost immediately. You can still see shattered glass in shop windows.”
According to locals, as the rally approached, chaos erupted. The first sign of violence came when a shop’s windows were broken. From there, it spread rapidly — shops were looted, homes were pelted with stones, and many were vandalized.
Shattered Shops, Attacked Homes and Desecrated Temples
A local woman recounted what happened that Friday: “We were at home around 2:30 or 3 pm. Suddenly, they attacked our temple. When we tried to stop them, they started attacking our homes too,” she said.
The residents described being trapped inside their homes as mobs pelted stones.
“We stayed inside with sticks. We were afraid they’d enter. They threw stones at the doors. One hit me on the head and I had to run to my aunt’s house to save myself.”
Even more chilling was the threat that followed, “They said, ‘As long as the BSF is here, you’re safe. Once they leave, we’ll be back.’”
These words, according to the victims, came from the very people involved in the violence.
Eyewitnesses Recount the Day of Terror
Another woman, trembling with fear, said, “When the violence started, the police were just standing there. We asked for protection, but they told us to go home. How could we go home while stones were raining down?”
She added that it took the police nearly four hours to respond, despite the police station being barely a minute away.
In the aftermath, the destruction was widespread.
“Our homes were set on fire. Even the temple was looted. The idols and sacred items were dragged out and burned,” said another local.
Kitchen utensils, vehicles, and temple belongings were thrown into nearby ponds.
“You can still see them floating in the water,” the reporter noted.
“We Were Told: You’re Safe Till BSF Is Here”
Many residents said that they were directly threatened.
“The same people who led the violence are now coming to our homes and warning us. They say once the BSF is gone, we’ll come back and finish what we started,” one man shared.
In Jafarpur village, located nearby, similar scenes were witnessed. Many homes were attacked and set ablaze. The village now lies eerily empty.
Fleeing for Survival: Hundreds Leave Their Homes Behind
According to NewsX, over 400 Hindu families have fled Murshidabad following the violence. Most have taken shelter across the Ganga in Malda. “They broke the locks, entered the house, looted everything and then set it on fire,” said one resident.
Others described armed men threatening them with pistols and looting valuables, including jewelry and cash saved up through loans meant for building new homes.
A sobbing woman said, “We took a ₹1 lakh loan to build a new house. It’s all gone. They even took our gas cylinders and wedding gifts. We have nothing left.”
Malda Schools Become Shelter for Displaced Families
Many of the displaced families are now living inside school buildings in Malda, where classrooms have turned into makeshift shelters. These families say they are still living in fear.
“How long can we live in hiding?” one man asked.
“We ran for our lives. Who wants to stay where they feel they could be killed any moment?”
Another man described why they left their village, “The Muslim mobs came with weapons. They told us to leave or they’d kill us. So we left.”
Many others echoed the same reason — they had no choice but to abandon everything to stay alive.
A Village Emptied by Fear
Back in Jafarpur, homes lie vacant, belongings scattered and charred. The sounds of normal life have been replaced by silence and fear. The people who once lived there now only speak of their homes in past tense, unsure if they will ever return.
What remains is the haunting image of broken homes, desecrated temples, and families scattered by fear — a chilling reminder of how quickly life can be torn apart by violence.
