A special tribunal in Bangladesh's capital on Monday ordered three senior journalists to remain in jail pending trial in a case tied to the mass uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, a decision human rights groups say represents a dangerous escalation in the criminalisation of journalism in the country.<h3>The Tribunal's Order &nbsp;</h3>The International Crimes Tribunal-2 directed that Mozammel Babu, editor-in-chief of private broadcaster Ekattor Television; Farzana Rupa, the channel's principal correspondent; and Shyamal Dutta, editor of the daily Bhorer Kagoj and former general secretary of the National Press Club in Dhaka, be shown as formally arrested and sent to jail in the crimes-against-humanity case. The order came after the three appeared before the tribunal, which set October 25 for the next court proceedings and asked investigators to submit their findings against the journalists.Prosecutor Faruk Ahmed told the tribunal that production warrants had been issued against the three on August 17 in connection with the case, and that prosecutors sought to have them shown as arrested and sent to jail once they appeared on Monday. The three have effectively been held without trial for roughly two years, having initially been detained on separate charges shortly after Hasina's fall.&nbsp;<h3>&nbsp;What They Are Accused Of</h3>&nbsp;The case centers on a press conference held at Hasina's official residence, Gono Bhaban, on July 14, 2024, at which she discussed the civil service quota issue and referred to protesters using a term students considered disparaging. Those remarks triggered protests that same night. Prosecutors allege the three journalists abetted the crimes that followed, and that they helped produce a "counter-narrative" against the student movement between July 14 and August 5, 2024 — the day Hasina was ousted and fled to India.&nbsp;Rights monitors describe the underlying conduct in starker terms. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said prosecutors allege the journalists asked Hasina provocative questions at the July 14 press conference that prompted her disparaging remarks about demonstrators, ahead of a bloody crackdown that followed.&nbsp;This is only one strand of a wider legal net. Rupa and Babu have separately been held in pre-trial detention since August and September 2024 in connection with murder cases linked to deaths during the uprising, and were also shown arrested in a case tied to the 2013 crackdown on a Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka, based on their broadcast coverage of those events. Dutta has been detained since September 2024 and faces multiple murder cases stemming from his journalism.&nbsp;The stakes are severe. Because the tribunal — originally created in 2010 to try 1971 Liberation War crimes — has no sentencing guidelines for specific offenses, the journalists could face the death penalty if convicted.&nbsp;<h3>Human Rights Groups Cry Foul</h3>&nbsp;CPJ has been among the most vocal critics of the case. Its Asia-Pacific program coordinator, Kunal Majumder, called the prosecution deeply troubling, saying: "Launching a crimes-against-humanity case against journalists Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Babu, and Farzana Rupa for simply asking questions at a press conference is outrageous and deeply troubling."&nbsp;Majumder added that editorial decisions, even partisan ones, should not be treated as crimes, warning that criminalizing editorial judgment sets a dangerous precedent and undermines Bangladesh's standing as a democracy.&nbsp;Other organizations have echoed the concern. JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France said the allegations against the three journalists concern statements, questions and media content linked to the uprising, and argued that journalism-related conduct should not attract such grave charges without specific, credible evidence of individual criminal responsibility.&nbsp;Broader civil society coalitions have raised similar alarms about the pattern of detentions. A joint statement noted that Rupa, Babu, Rupa's husband and fellow Ekattor journalist Shakil Ahmed, and Dutta have all been held in pre-trial detention since mid-2024 in connection with numerous murder cases tied to the uprising, without any charge sheet served and no clear explanation of how their reporting could constitute murder. The groups called on the government to release journalists detained solely for peaceful reporting and the exercise of their rights.&nbsp;<h3>Bangladesh's Democratic Transition: Where Does Press Freedom Stand? &nbsp;</h3>The case against Babu, Rupa and Dutta is emblematic of a much larger reckoning inside Bangladesh's media since Hasina's fall. At least four Bangladeshi journalists whose coverage was seen as supportive of Hasina and her Awami League party were detained soon after the interim government took power in August 2024, with CPJ warning at the time that the cases appeared baseless and retaliatory. More than two dozen journalists were separately named in a complaint filed at the tribunal over alleged involvement in crimes against humanity and genocide during the protests, with 28 others facing related investigations.&nbsp;The toll of prolonged detention has become a rallying point for press freedom advocates. On World Press Freedom Day this year, the Daily Star reported that five senior journalists had spent between 593 and 620 days in detention without formal charges over deaths linked to the July uprising. Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Dutta and Babu are accused in connection with the killing of a 21-year-old opposition activist in Mirpur on August 5, 2024, the day Hasina fled — despite the case file describing the victim as shot by security forces and ruling-party activists, not by journalists.&nbsp;Legal experts inside Bangladesh have questioned the basis for many of these prosecutions. Manzil Morshed, president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh and a senior Supreme Court advocate, said: “The accusations made by the interim government labelling journalists as collaborators of the previous administration are not clearly established.” He added that many such cases appear to be politically motivated.&nbsp;Independent analysis has drawn attention to the political undercurrents shaping the tribunal's docket. A June report noted that Rupa and Babu were produced before the tribunal on May 14 and remanded back into custody after prosecutors alleged complicity in crimes against humanity and forced disappearances, despite already having spent over 21 months in pre-charge detention on separate murder allegations tied to the crackdown. The report also noted that while government figures acknowledged 11 deaths in the Dhaka-area unrest, Human Rights Watch documented at least 58 deaths — including eight members of the security forces — and that no security personnel have been held accountable for the killings, even as journalists face capital charges.&nbsp;The political backdrop has also shifted since the uprising. The interim government, and the new administration of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman — who was sworn in on February 17, 2026 — reconstituted the tribunal and amended its founding law to enable prosecution of figures linked to the ousted Awami League government, including Hasina herself, who was later sentenced to death on charges of crimes against humanity and was tried in absentia after fleeing to India. In May 2025, mass protests pushed authorities to amend the tribunal's governing law to allow prosecution of political parties, and the Awami League itself was subsequently banned from political activity pending the tribunal's verdicts.Taken together, the case against Babu, Rupa and Dutta sits at the intersection of two competing narratives about Bangladesh's post-Hasina transition: a government-led effort to deliver accountability for a bloody crackdown that killed hundreds of protesters, and what press freedom groups describe as a widening campaign that treats journalism critical of the student-led movement — however partisan — as criminal complicity in mass atrocity. With the tribunal's next hearing set for October 25 and formal charges against the three journalists still pending, that tension is likely to remain one of the defining tests of press freedom in Bangladesh's new political order. &nbsp;

A Bangladesh tribunal has ordered three journalists to be held in custody until trial, escalating international concerns over press freedom and judicial overreach in the country

A special tribunal in Bangladesh's capital on Monday ordered three senior journalists to remain in jail pending trial in a case tied to the mass uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, a decision human rights groups say represents a dangerous escalation in the criminalisation of journalism in the country. The Tribunal's Order The International Crimes Tribunal-2 directed that Mozammel Babu, editor-in-chief of private broadcaster Ekattor Television; Farzana Rupa, the channel's principal correspondent; and Shyamal Dutta, editor of the daily Bhorer Kagoj and former general secretary of the National Press Club in Dhaka, be shown as formally arrested and sent to jail in the crimes-against-humanity case. The order came after the three appeared before the tribunal, which set October 25 for the next court proceedings and asked investigators to submit their findings against the journalists. Prosecutor Faruk Ahmed told the tribunal that production warrants had been issued against the three on August 17 in connection with the case, and that prosecutors sought to have them shown as arrested and sent to jail once they appeared on Monday. The three have effectively been held without trial for roughly two years, having initially been detained on separate charges shortly after Hasina's fall. What They Are Accused Of The case centers on a press conference held at Hasina's official residence, Gono Bhaban, on July 14, 2024, at which she discussed the civil service quota issue and referred to protesters using a term students considered disparaging. Those remarks triggered protests that same night. Prosecutors allege the three journalists abetted the crimes that followed, and that they helped produce a "counter-narrative" against the student movement between July 14 and August 5, 2024 — the day Hasina was ousted and fled to India. Rights monitors describe the underlying conduct in starker terms. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said prosecutors allege the journalists asked Hasina provocative questions at the July 14 press conference that prompted her disparaging remarks about demonstrators, ahead of a bloody crackdown that followed. This is only one strand of a wider legal net. Rupa and Babu have separately been held in pre-trial detention since August and September 2024 in connection with murder cases linked to deaths during the uprising, and were also shown arrested in a case tied to the 2013 crackdown on a Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka, based on their broadcast coverage of those events. Dutta has been detained since September 2024 and faces multiple murder cases stemming from his journalism. The stakes are severe. Because the tribunal — originally created in 2010 to try 1971 Liberation War crimes — has no sentencing guidelines for specific offenses, the journalists could face the death penalty if convicted. Human Rights Groups Cry Foul CPJ has been among the most vocal critics of the case. Its Asia-Pacific program coordinator, Kunal Majumder, called the prosecution deeply troubling, saying: "Launching a crimes-against-humanity case against journalists Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Babu, and Farzana Rupa for simply asking questions at a press conference is outrageous and deeply troubling." Majumder added that editorial decisions, even partisan ones, should not be treated as crimes, warning that criminalizing editorial judgment sets a dangerous precedent and undermines Bangladesh's standing as a democracy. Other organizations have echoed the concern. JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France said the allegations against the three journalists concern statements, questions and media content linked to the uprising, and argued that journalism-related conduct should not attract such grave charges without specific, credible evidence of individual criminal responsibility. Broader civil society coalitions have raised similar alarms about the pattern of detentions. A joint statement noted that Rupa, Babu, Rupa's husband and fellow Ekattor journalist Shakil Ahmed, and Dutta have all been held in pre-trial detention since mid-2024 in connection with numerous murder cases tied to the uprising, without any charge sheet served and no clear explanation of how their reporting could constitute murder. The groups called on the government to release journalists detained solely for peaceful reporting and the exercise of their rights. Bangladesh's Democratic Transition: Where Does Press Freedom Stand? The case against Babu, Rupa and Dutta is emblematic of a much larger reckoning inside Bangladesh's media since Hasina's fall. At least four Bangladeshi journalists whose coverage was seen as supportive of Hasina and her Awami League party were detained soon after the interim government took power in August 2024, with CPJ warning at the time that the cases appeared baseless and retaliatory. More than two dozen journalists were separately named in a complaint filed at the tribunal over alleged involvement in crimes against humanity and genocide during the protests, with 28 others facing related investigations. The toll of prolonged detention has become a rallying point for press freedom advocates. On World Press Freedom Day this year, the Daily Star reported that five senior journalists had spent between 593 and 620 days in detention without formal charges over deaths linked to the July uprising. Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Dutta and Babu are accused in connection with the killing of a 21-year-old opposition activist in Mirpur on August 5, 2024, the day Hasina fled — despite the case file describing the victim as shot by security forces and ruling-party activists, not by journalists. Legal experts inside Bangladesh have questioned the basis for many of these prosecutions. Manzil Morshed, president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh and a senior Supreme Court advocate, said: “The accusations made by the interim government labelling journalists as collaborators of the previous administration are not clearly established.” He added that many such cases appear to be politically motivated. Independent analysis has drawn attention to the political undercurrents shaping the tribunal's docket. A June report noted that Rupa and Babu were produced before the tribunal on May 14 and remanded back into custody after prosecutors alleged complicity in crimes against humanity and forced disappearances, despite already having spent over 21 months in pre-charge detention on separate murder allegations tied to the crackdown. The report also noted that while government figures acknowledged 11 deaths in the Dhaka-area unrest, Human Rights Watch documented at least 58 deaths — including eight members of the security forces — and that no security personnel have been held accountable for the killings, even as journalists face capital charges. The political backdrop has also shifted since the uprising. The interim government, and the new administration of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman — who was sworn in on February 17, 2026 — reconstituted the tribunal and amended its founding law to enable prosecution of figures linked to the ousted Awami League government, including Hasina herself, who was later sentenced to death on charges of crimes against humanity and was tried in absentia after fleeing to India. In May 2025, mass protests pushed authorities to amend the tribunal's governing law to allow prosecution of political parties, and the Awami League itself was subsequently banned from political activity pending the tribunal's verdicts. Taken together, the case against Babu, Rupa and Dutta sits at the intersection of two competing narratives about Bangladesh's post-Hasina transition: a government-led effort to deliver accountability for a bloody crackdown that killed hundreds of protesters, and what press freedom groups describe as a widening campaign that treats journalism critical of the student-led movement — however partisan — as criminal complicity in mass atrocity. With the tribunal's next hearing set for October 25 and formal charges against the three journalists still pending, that tension is likely to remain one of the defining tests of press freedom in Bangladesh's new political order.

A Bangladesh tribunal has ordered three journalists to be held in custody until trial, escalating international concerns over press freedom and judicial overreach in the country

Bangladesh tribunal orders three journalists held until trial, deepening press freedom concerns

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, their 23-year-old daughter, and 12-year-old son were found strangled inside their locked home in Rangpur city on Saturday night- the father's body on the roof, the mother and daughter on the staircase, the boy hidden beneath a bed. Police now believe two cousins climbed onto the roof from a neighbouring building carrying tablets of Yaba, a cheap methamphetamine-based stimulant widely trafficked in Bangladesh, and killed the family with a gamchha, a traditional cotton scarf, after the homeowner caught them there.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bangladesh-horror-four-of-family-found-dead-inside-locked-house-in-rangpur-1787486148135/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/bangladesh-horror-four-of-family-found-dead-inside-locked-house-in-rangpur-1787486148135/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The victims Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, a retired Zilla School teacher who had gone on to practice homeopathy; his wife Pritilata, 50; daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and son Priyam, 12 — were discovered around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday at their home in the Daspara (Machhuapara) area. Two suspects, cousins identified as Mughdho and Siddhartha, have since been taken into custody, though police have yet to issue a final, official determination of motive or cause of death.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/when-two-sides-find-common-ground-india-s-eam-jaishankar-responds-as-bangladesh-links-hasina-s-extradition-to-pm-rahman-s-visit-1787465762584">When two sides find common ground...': India's EAM Jaishankar responds as Bangladesh links Hasina's extradition to PM Rahman's visit</a>&nbsp;In the immediate aftermath, investigators offered few answers. OC Nazmul Kader of Kotwali Police Station, whose officers were among the first responders alongside the Criminal Investigation Department and Detective Branch, told reporters at the time: "For now, we have recovered the bodies of four people. We have not yet been able to establish any details about the incident." No cause of death, motive, or manner of death had been officially confirmed at that stage, and the bodies were sent for autopsy while forensic and CID teams examined the scene.&nbsp;Soma Chakraborty, the retired teacher's niece, said she had last spoken with her uncle on Thursday afternoon, before the deaths. Recounting her arrival at the house, she said: "After receiving the news on Saturday night, I came here and saw his body. The bodies of my aunt, sister and brother were also lying there. My uncle had no enemies."&nbsp;Police initially treated the case as a possible robbery gone wrong, noting that the home's lights had been switched off and belongings left scattered- details investigators believed may have been staged to look like a burglary. Sanatan Chakrabarty, deputy commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police and head of the Detective Branch, said the department suspected all four victims had been strangled.&nbsp;As the investigation progressed, the two cousins were taken into custody. Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud detailed the emerging theory at a press briefing on Sunday. Investigators now believe the two men climbed onto the roof of the Chakraborty house on Thursday from a neighbouring building, carrying Yaba tablets. According to this account, Ganapati Chakraborty heard noise on the roof and went up to investigate, confronting the two men he found there. Police allege the suspects strangled him with the gamchha, and that the commotion drew his wife to the scene, where she too was strangled, followed by their daughter and son.&nbsp;While the drug-related theory has emerged as the leading line of inquiry, police have not issued a final, official determination of motive or cause of death. Autopsy results from Rangpur Medical College Hospital are still awaited, and the CID, Detective Branch and local police continue to investigate.

Four members of a family, including retired schoolteacher Ganapati Chakraborty, were found murdered in their locked Rangpur home. Police have detained two suspects in connection with the horrific strangulation.

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, their 23-year-old daughter, and 12-year-old son were found strangled inside their locked home in Rangpur city on Saturday night- the father's body on the roof, the mother and daughter on the staircase, the boy hidden beneath a bed. Police now believe two cousins climbed onto the roof from a neighbouring building carrying tablets of Yaba, a cheap methamphetamine-based stimulant widely trafficked in Bangladesh, and killed the family with a gamchha, a traditional cotton scarf, after the homeowner caught them there. https://www.wionews.com/videos/bangladesh-horror-four-of-family-found-dead-inside-locked-house-in-rangpur-1787486148135/embed The victims Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, a retired Zilla School teacher who had gone on to practice homeopathy; his wife Pritilata, 50; daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and son Priyam, 12 — were discovered around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday at their home in the Daspara (Machhuapara) area. Two suspects, cousins identified as Mughdho and Siddhartha, have since been taken into custody, though police have yet to issue a final, official determination of motive or cause of death. Also read: When two sides find common ground...': India's EAM Jaishankar responds as Bangladesh links Hasina's extradition to PM Rahman's visit In the immediate aftermath, investigators offered few answers. OC Nazmul Kader of Kotwali Police Station, whose officers were among the first responders alongside the Criminal Investigation Department and Detective Branch, told reporters at the time: "For now, we have recovered the bodies of four people. We have not yet been able to establish any details about the incident." No cause of death, motive, or manner of death had been officially confirmed at that stage, and the bodies were sent for autopsy while forensic and CID teams examined the scene. Soma Chakraborty, the retired teacher's niece, said she had last spoken with her uncle on Thursday afternoon, before the deaths. Recounting her arrival at the house, she said: "After receiving the news on Saturday night, I came here and saw his body. The bodies of my aunt, sister and brother were also lying there. My uncle had no enemies." Police initially treated the case as a possible robbery gone wrong, noting that the home's lights had been switched off and belongings left scattered- details investigators believed may have been staged to look like a burglary. Sanatan Chakrabarty, deputy commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police and head of the Detective Branch, said the department suspected all four victims had been strangled. As the investigation progressed, the two cousins were taken into custody. Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud detailed the emerging theory at a press briefing on Sunday. Investigators now believe the two men climbed onto the roof of the Chakraborty house on Thursday from a neighbouring building, carrying Yaba tablets. According to this account, Ganapati Chakraborty heard noise on the roof and went up to investigate, confronting the two men he found there. Police allege the suspects strangled him with the gamchha, and that the commotion drew his wife to the scene, where she too was strangled, followed by their daughter and son. While the drug-related theory has emerged as the leading line of inquiry, police have not issued a final, official determination of motive or cause of death. Autopsy results from Rangpur Medical College Hospital are still awaited, and the CID, Detective Branch and local police continue to investigate.

Four members of a family, including retired schoolteacher Ganapati Chakraborty, were found murdered in their locked Rangpur home. Police have detained two suspects in connection with the horrific strangulation.

Retired teacher went to check noise on roof, found family dead by morning

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, daughter and 12-year-old son were found dead in a locked house in Rangpur city late last night, in a case police say remains unexplained. The bodies were recovered at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday from a house in the Daspara (Machhuapara) area of the city.The deceased were identified as retired Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65; his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, 50; their daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and son Priyam Chakraborty, 12.&nbsp;<h2>How the bodies were found</h2>The bodies of the mother and daughter were recovered from the staircase, while the father's body was found on the roof. The body of his son was found under a bed, according to Subir Chowdhury, in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan CID.<h2>Police response</h2>OC Nazmul Kader of Kotwali Police Station said police, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Detective Branch (DB) had started an investigation into the incident, adding: "For now, we have recovered the bodies of four people. We have not yet been able to establish any details about the incident."&nbsp;<h2>Family reaction</h2>Soma Chakraborty, Ganapati's niece, said she had last spoken to her uncle on Thursday afternoon. Describing arriving at the scene, she said: "After receiving the news on Saturday night, I came here and saw his body. The bodies of my aunt, sister and brother were also lying there. My uncle had no enemies." She added that after retiring from school, he had started working as a homeopathic practitioner.&nbsp;<h2>Status of the investigation</h2>No cause of death, motive, or manner of death (murder, suicide, or otherwise) has been officially confirmed. The bodies have reportedly been sent for autopsy, and forensic and CID teams are examining the scene.&nbsp;

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, daughter and 12-year-old son were found dead inside their locked home in Bangladesh’s Rangpur city. Police and CID have launched an investigation, but the cause, motive and manner of death remain unknown. The bodies have been sent for autopsy.

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, daughter and 12-year-old son were found dead in a locked house in Rangpur city late last night, in a case police say remains unexplained. The bodies were recovered at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday from a house in the Daspara (Machhuapara) area of the city. The deceased were identified as retired Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65; his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, 50; their daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and son Priyam Chakraborty, 12. How the bodies were found The bodies of the mother and daughter were recovered from the staircase, while the father's body was found on the roof. The body of his son was found under a bed, according to Subir Chowdhury, in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan CID. Police response OC Nazmul Kader of Kotwali Police Station said police, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Detective Branch (DB) had started an investigation into the incident, adding: "For now, we have recovered the bodies of four people. We have not yet been able to establish any details about the incident." Family reaction Soma Chakraborty, Ganapati's niece, said she had last spoken to her uncle on Thursday afternoon. Describing arriving at the scene, she said: "After receiving the news on Saturday night, I came here and saw his body. The bodies of my aunt, sister and brother were also lying there. My uncle had no enemies." She added that after retiring from school, he had started working as a homeopathic practitioner. Status of the investigation No cause of death, motive, or manner of death (murder, suicide, or otherwise) has been officially confirmed. The bodies have reportedly been sent for autopsy, and forensic and CID teams are examining the scene.

A retired schoolteacher, his wife, daughter and 12-year-old son were found dead inside their locked home in Bangladesh’s Rangpur city. Police and CID have launched an investigation, but the cause, motive and manner of death remain unknown. The bodies have been sent for autopsy.

Retired teacher, wife and two children found dead in locked Bangladesh's Rangpur house

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday held a crucial meeting with senior Gorkha leaders and West Bengal government representatives at Sukna in the Darjeeling foothills, signalling a fresh push to resolve the long-standing political issue in the hills.&nbsp;The meeting, held on the final day of Shah’s three-day north Bengal visit, brought together West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, GNLF chief Mann Ghisingh, GJM leader Roshan Giri, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, state ministers, BJP MLAs from the hills and senior government officials.&nbsp;The central agenda was the BJP’s long-standing promise of a ”permanent political solution” for Darjeeling and the Gorkha community within the constitutional framework.&nbsp;After the meeting, BJP MP Raju Bista described it as a historic moment and said the Centre had now moved towards formally drafting an agreement.&nbsp;“Today is a truly historic day for the Gorkha community and for Darjeeling… On behalf of the entire delegation, we apprised the Home Minister of the suffering endured by the people of Darjeeling and the Terai over the last two years and the struggles of the past 40 years.”&nbsp;Bista said Shah listened to the concerns raised by the delegation and outlined a roadmap for the resolution of the issue.&nbsp;“A committee comprising a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Pankaj Kumar Singh, has been constituted to finalise the drafting of today’s agreement.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="BJP passes 'Vande Mataram' resolution, condemns Congress' two stanza decision">BJP passes 'Vande Mataram' resolution, condemns Congress' two stanza decision</a>&nbsp; BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the meeting had “paved the way for a positive outcome”, adding that the process of finding a solution to the Gorkhaland issue had now begun.&nbsp;“The process of finding the solution we seek regarding the Gorkhaland issue has now begun. A committee is to be formed… under the leadership of our Gorkhaland interlocutor, Pankaj, to examine the matter in detail.”&nbsp;Shringla, however, said, “No specific timeframe could be stated, as this is just the beginning; we cannot say anything definitive right now.”&nbsp;The development is significant because the Gorkhaland demand has remained unresolved for decades. The demand for a separate political and administrative identity for the Nepali-speaking Gorkha population of the Darjeeling hills predates Independence, while the term “Gorkhaland” gained prominence during the agitation led by GNLF founder Subhash Ghising in the 1980s.&nbsp;The agitation of 1986-88 turned violent, eventually culminating in the 1988 Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Accord between the Centre, the West Bengal government and GNLF. The agreement led to the creation of the semi-autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, with the separate-state demand effectively set aside at the time. The accord was signed on August 22, 1988 — making Saturday’s meeting particularly significant as it coincided with its anniversary.&nbsp;But the DGHC did not end the demand for Gorkhaland. Political discontent returned, and in 2007 Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha emerged as a major force pushing for statehood. After another prolonged agitation, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was created in 2011-12 as a new autonomous administrative arrangement for the hills.&nbsp;The GTA, however, stopped short of granting statehood. The core demand for a separate Gorkhaland has therefore continued to influence elections and political negotiations in the hills.&nbsp;That is what makes the latest move significant: rather than announcing a separate state, the Centre is now signalling a fresh constitutional arrangement, with the Home Ministry committee expected to work on the details of the proposed agreement.&nbsp;For the BJP, the issue also carries political weight. The party has repeatedly promised a ”permanent political solution” to the Darjeeling hills, while maintaining that the resolution would be within the Indian constitutional framework.&nbsp;The meeting also comes amid renewed political attention to the wider Darjeeling-Terai-Dooars region and its strategic importance.&nbsp;Later on Saturday, Shah is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting on the Siliguri Corridor, the strategically vital land link connecting mainland India with the Northeast. Senior officials from the BSF, SSB, Intelligence Bureau, West Bengal Police and other state and Central agencies are expected to participate.&nbsp;For the Gorkha leadership, however, the immediate question is whether the newly constituted Home Ministry panel can finally translate decades of political assurances into a concrete settlement — and whether that settlement can address the aspirations that the DGHC and GTA failed to resolve. &nbsp;

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Gorkha leaders in Darjeeling as the Ministry of Home Affairs prepares to form a panel to work on a permanent political solution to the region’s long-standing demands.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday held a crucial meeting with senior Gorkha leaders and West Bengal government representatives at Sukna in the Darjeeling foothills, signalling a fresh push to resolve the long-standing political issue in the hills. The meeting, held on the final day of Shah’s three-day north Bengal visit, brought together West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, GNLF chief Mann Ghisingh, GJM leader Roshan Giri, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, state ministers, BJP MLAs from the hills and senior government officials. The central agenda was the BJP’s long-standing promise of a ”permanent political solution” for Darjeeling and the Gorkha community within the constitutional framework. After the meeting, BJP MP Raju Bista described it as a historic moment and said the Centre had now moved towards formally drafting an agreement. “Today is a truly historic day for the Gorkha community and for Darjeeling… On behalf of the entire delegation, we apprised the Home Minister of the suffering endured by the people of Darjeeling and the Terai over the last two years and the struggles of the past 40 years.” Bista said Shah listened to the concerns raised by the delegation and outlined a roadmap for the resolution of the issue. “A committee comprising a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Pankaj Kumar Singh, has been constituted to finalise the drafting of today’s agreement.” Also Read: BJP passes 'Vande Mataram' resolution, condemns Congress' two stanza decision BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the meeting had “paved the way for a positive outcome”, adding that the process of finding a solution to the Gorkhaland issue had now begun. “The process of finding the solution we seek regarding the Gorkhaland issue has now begun. A committee is to be formed… under the leadership of our Gorkhaland interlocutor, Pankaj, to examine the matter in detail.” Shringla, however, said, “No specific timeframe could be stated, as this is just the beginning; we cannot say anything definitive right now.” The development is significant because the Gorkhaland demand has remained unresolved for decades. The demand for a separate political and administrative identity for the Nepali-speaking Gorkha population of the Darjeeling hills predates Independence, while the term “Gorkhaland” gained prominence during the agitation led by GNLF founder Subhash Ghising in the 1980s. The agitation of 1986-88 turned violent, eventually culminating in the 1988 Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Accord between the Centre, the West Bengal government and GNLF. The agreement led to the creation of the semi-autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, with the separate-state demand effectively set aside at the time. The accord was signed on August 22, 1988 — making Saturday’s meeting particularly significant as it coincided with its anniversary. But the DGHC did not end the demand for Gorkhaland. Political discontent returned, and in 2007 Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha emerged as a major force pushing for statehood. After another prolonged agitation, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was created in 2011-12 as a new autonomous administrative arrangement for the hills. The GTA, however, stopped short of granting statehood. The core demand for a separate Gorkhaland has therefore continued to influence elections and political negotiations in the hills. That is what makes the latest move significant: rather than announcing a separate state, the Centre is now signalling a fresh constitutional arrangement, with the Home Ministry committee expected to work on the details of the proposed agreement. For the BJP, the issue also carries political weight. The party has repeatedly promised a ”permanent political solution” to the Darjeeling hills, while maintaining that the resolution would be within the Indian constitutional framework. The meeting also comes amid renewed political attention to the wider Darjeeling-Terai-Dooars region and its strategic importance. Later on Saturday, Shah is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting on the Siliguri Corridor, the strategically vital land link connecting mainland India with the Northeast. Senior officials from the BSF, SSB, Intelligence Bureau, West Bengal Police and other state and Central agencies are expected to participate. For the Gorkha leadership, however, the immediate question is whether the newly constituted Home Ministry panel can finally translate decades of political assurances into a concrete settlement — and whether that settlement can address the aspirations that the DGHC and GTA failed to resolve.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Gorkha leaders in Darjeeling as the Ministry of Home Affairs prepares to form a panel to work on a permanent political solution to the region’s long-standing demands.

Amit Shah meets Gorkha leaders in Darjeeling, MHA panel to draft ‘permanent political solution’

Bangladesh’s parliament on Thursday (Aug 20) elected veteran Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s 23rd President, in the first contested presidential election in 35 years.The 78-year-old BNP Secretary General (who stepped down from the post upon his nomination) secured 255 votes, defeating retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, who received 88 votes. Of the 349 eligible lawmakers, 343 cast ballots in an open vote held in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; six MPs did not vote. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, serving as returning officer, announced the results after the count and declared Alamgir duly elected. The Election Commission is to publish the official gazette.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-holds-first-voted-presidential-poll-in-35-years-today-who-is-set-to-win-1787193958239">Bangladesh holds first voted presidential poll in 35 years today: Who is set to win?</a>Voting began with Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal casting the first ballots, followed shortly by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Alamgir himself. The last contested presidential poll took place in 1991, when BNP’s Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated an Awami League candidate; subsequent elections were uncontested with a single nominee.Alamgir, born January 26, 1948, in Thakurgaon, is a long-time opposition figure who served as BNP Secretary General from 2016 (and acting from 2011), making him the party’s longest-serving holder of that office. He entered politics as a student activist, worked as an economics lecturer, and later held roles including Thakurgaon municipality chairman, state minister for agriculture and for civil aviation and tourism (2001–2006), and, after BNP’s return to power in the February 2026 general election, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and MP from Thakurgaon-1. He resigned from party posts after his presidential nomination on August 13.The election followed the resignation last month of President Mohammed Shahabuddin on health grounds. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad had been serving as acting president. Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of a vacancy.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dhaka-says-propitious-environment-needed-for-bangladesh-pm-rahman-s-india-visit-restates-hasina-extradition-demand-1786866065947">Dhaka says ‘propitious environment’ needed for Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit; restates Hasina extradition demand</a>Bangladesh operates a parliamentary system in which executive power rests primarily with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The President is the constitutional head of state, takes precedence over all others, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and formally appoints the Prime Minister (based on parliamentary confidence) and the Chief Justice. In most other functions, the President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The office is largely ceremonial but carries constitutional significance, including the power of mercy (pardons and remissions).Alamgir is scheduled to take the oath of office at Bangabhaban on Friday, August 21 (reported as 7:30 p.m.), with Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal administering it. Preparations are underway at the presidential palace. His elevation comes as Bangladesh continues to navigate the political transition and challenges following the 2024 uprising that ended the previous government and the BNP’s subsequent return to power under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.China’s embassy in Dhaka was among those offering congratulations, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral ties.

Lawmakers elected BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Bangladesh’s 23rd president with 255 parliamentary votes. He defeated Oli Ahmed following the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Bangladesh’s parliament on Thursday (Aug 20) elected veteran Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s 23rd President, in the first contested presidential election in 35 years. The 78-year-old BNP Secretary General (who stepped down from the post upon his nomination) secured 255 votes, defeating retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, who received 88 votes. Of the 349 eligible lawmakers, 343 cast ballots in an open vote held in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; six MPs did not vote. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, serving as returning officer, announced the results after the count and declared Alamgir duly elected. The Election Commission is to publish the official gazette. Also read: Bangladesh holds first voted presidential poll in 35 years today: Who is set to win? Voting began with Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal casting the first ballots, followed shortly by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Alamgir himself. The last contested presidential poll took place in 1991, when BNP’s Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated an Awami League candidate; subsequent elections were uncontested with a single nominee. Alamgir, born January 26, 1948, in Thakurgaon, is a long-time opposition figure who served as BNP Secretary General from 2016 (and acting from 2011), making him the party’s longest-serving holder of that office. He entered politics as a student activist, worked as an economics lecturer, and later held roles including Thakurgaon municipality chairman, state minister for agriculture and for civil aviation and tourism (2001–2006), and, after BNP’s return to power in the February 2026 general election, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and MP from Thakurgaon-1. He resigned from party posts after his presidential nomination on August 13. The election followed the resignation last month of President Mohammed Shahabuddin on health grounds. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad had been serving as acting president. Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of a vacancy. Also read: Dhaka says ‘propitious environment’ needed for Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit; restates Hasina extradition demand Bangladesh operates a parliamentary system in which executive power rests primarily with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The President is the constitutional head of state, takes precedence over all others, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and formally appoints the Prime Minister (based on parliamentary confidence) and the Chief Justice. In most other functions, the President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The office is largely ceremonial but carries constitutional significance, including the power of mercy (pardons and remissions). Alamgir is scheduled to take the oath of office at Bangabhaban on Friday, August 21 (reported as 7:30 p.m.), with Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal administering it. Preparations are underway at the presidential palace. His elevation comes as Bangladesh continues to navigate the political transition and challenges following the 2024 uprising that ended the previous government and the BNP’s subsequent return to power under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. China’s embassy in Dhaka was among those offering congratulations, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral ties.

Lawmakers elected BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Bangladesh’s 23rd president with 255 parliamentary votes. He defeated Oli Ahmed following the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected Bangladesh’s 23rd president

A 10-member delegation representing various communities and civil society organisations from Manipur left for New Delhi on Thursday to seek the Centre's intervention on the Census and National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue, even as the state government ordered educational institutions to shut down amid escalating agitation.&nbsp;The delegation, which includes SM Jalal (president, AMMOCOC), Gaikhiam Thaimei (vice-president, RNYOM), Serto Kom (president, Kom Union Manipur) and Dr K Heera Kabui (president, Kabui Union), said it would push for dialogue rather than confrontation with the Centre. Members plan to meet Union ministers, BJP leaders and Intelligence Bureau officials, and are seeking an audience with Home Minister Amit Shah. "We want a discussion, not a confrontation, and seek an understanding on these issues while keeping the interests of the people of Manipur in mind," Kom said, stressing that citizen identification through the NRC must precede the state's pending delimitation exercise.&nbsp;The visit follows a separate trip to Delhi by a team of MLAs and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as pressure builds on the Centre to address the issue.&nbsp;<h2>Shutdown Paralyses Valley Districts</h2>&nbsp;The Manipur government ordered all schools, colleges and universities across the state closed from August 20 to 23, citing law and order concerns as a 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) wound down. Authorities also cancelled appointments of Census enumerators, supervisors and field trainers in Lilong, Imphal West.&nbsp;The JFD, a Meitei organisation, wants the Census conducted only after an NRC is implemented, arguing this is needed to identify undocumented migrants who arrived after 1951. Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants. JFD secretary Longjam Ratankumar Singh said the protest would escalate into a boycott of government institutions from Thursday, with sit-ins and torch rallies planned.&nbsp;Markets, schools and transport were disrupted across five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Thoubal and Bishnupur—with clashes reported between protesters and security forces in Imphal East and Imphal West. Separately, the North Indigenous Women's Organisation staged its own sit-in at Sekmai demanding NRC implementation.&nbsp;State spokesperson Sapam Ranjan said Manipur would press the Centre to postpone the Census until the NRC process is complete, noting the assembly had passed resolutions to this effect in 2022 and 2024. Former CM N. Biren Singh said he received a "positive response" from Shah on the matter during a recent meeting.&nbsp;Census 2027's house-listing phase is officially scheduled to begin in Manipur on September 1, with self-enumeration available from August 17-31.

Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants.

A 10-member delegation representing various communities and civil society organisations from Manipur left for New Delhi on Thursday to seek the Centre's intervention on the Census and National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue, even as the state government ordered educational institutions to shut down amid escalating agitation. The delegation, which includes SM Jalal (president, AMMOCOC), Gaikhiam Thaimei (vice-president, RNYOM), Serto Kom (president, Kom Union Manipur) and Dr K Heera Kabui (president, Kabui Union), said it would push for dialogue rather than confrontation with the Centre. Members plan to meet Union ministers, BJP leaders and Intelligence Bureau officials, and are seeking an audience with Home Minister Amit Shah. "We want a discussion, not a confrontation, and seek an understanding on these issues while keeping the interests of the people of Manipur in mind," Kom said, stressing that citizen identification through the NRC must precede the state's pending delimitation exercise. The visit follows a separate trip to Delhi by a team of MLAs and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as pressure builds on the Centre to address the issue. Shutdown Paralyses Valley Districts The Manipur government ordered all schools, colleges and universities across the state closed from August 20 to 23, citing law and order concerns as a 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) wound down. Authorities also cancelled appointments of Census enumerators, supervisors and field trainers in Lilong, Imphal West. The JFD, a Meitei organisation, wants the Census conducted only after an NRC is implemented, arguing this is needed to identify undocumented migrants who arrived after 1951. Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants. JFD secretary Longjam Ratankumar Singh said the protest would escalate into a boycott of government institutions from Thursday, with sit-ins and torch rallies planned. Markets, schools and transport were disrupted across five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Thoubal and Bishnupur—with clashes reported between protesters and security forces in Imphal East and Imphal West. Separately, the North Indigenous Women's Organisation staged its own sit-in at Sekmai demanding NRC implementation. State spokesperson Sapam Ranjan said Manipur would press the Centre to postpone the Census until the NRC process is complete, noting the assembly had passed resolutions to this effect in 2022 and 2024. Former CM N. Biren Singh said he received a "positive response" from Shah on the matter during a recent meeting. Census 2027's house-listing phase is officially scheduled to begin in Manipur on September 1, with self-enumeration available from August 17-31.

Kuki organisations have pushed back, accusing Meiteis of using the NRC demand to brand their entire community as illegal immigrants.

Manipur Delegation heads to Delhi as NRC protests force school closures

The aftermath of the recent hotel fire in Tarapith had barely begun to settle when another tragic blaze struck the city. A severe fire broke out at Hotel Shikha Inn near Mirza Ghalib Street in New Market in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming nine lives and leaving several others injured.The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management. Department personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Police have since cordoned off the area around the hotel.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-killed-six-injured-in-massive-fire-at-kolkata-hotel-1787107135582">Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed</a>The fire department confirmed that nine people were rescued in an unconscious condition and taken to Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kolkata, where they were declared dead. The deceased comprise six men, two women and one male child. Some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment. Another six people fell ill due to smoke inhalation and have been admitted to hospital.Locals said many guests managed to climb onto the roof to escape the flames. However, the nine who were found unconscious apparently never woke up from their sleep and are believed to have succumbed to smoke inhalation.The hotel owner remains untraceable. The manager has been detained by New Market police station for questioning as investigations continue.

The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management.

The aftermath of the recent hotel fire in Tarapith had barely begun to settle when another tragic blaze struck the city. A severe fire broke out at Hotel Shikha Inn near Mirza Ghalib Street in New Market in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming nine lives and leaving several others injured. The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management. Department personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Police have since cordoned off the area around the hotel. Also read | Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed The fire department confirmed that nine people were rescued in an unconscious condition and taken to Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kolkata, where they were declared dead. The deceased comprise six men, two women and one male child. Some of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment. Another six people fell ill due to smoke inhalation and have been admitted to hospital. Locals said many guests managed to climb onto the roof to escape the flames. However, the nine who were found unconscious apparently never woke up from their sleep and are believed to have succumbed to smoke inhalation. The hotel owner remains untraceable. The manager has been detained by New Market police station for questioning as investigations continue.

The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 am after an air conditioner burst. It quickly spread to four rooms of the hotel, trapping several guests inside. Five fire engines and the police and Disaster Management.

Severe fire at Hotel Shikha Inn in Kolkata’s New Market claims nine lives

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year.Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case.Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body.In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death."Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances.The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker.The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption.The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back."Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former Bengal DY speaker found dead at TMC office Purported suicide note recovered by Birbhum police. Asish Banerjee was a 5-time MLA from Rampurhat, Birbhum<a href="https://x.com/JyotsnaKumar13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JyotsnaKumar13</a> gets you more with <a href="https://x.com/ShreyaG9401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShreyaG9401</a> <a href="https://t.co/vPT4toIzkX">pic.twitter.com/vPT4toIzkX</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2088946582322589708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of former Deputy Speaker and five-time TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, saying authorities must examine whether he faced any threats before his death. Adhikari said he personally spoke with Banerjee's family, who confirmed the veteran leader had maintained a good rapport with local BJP workers and police. The Chief Minister also recalled receiving a personal message from Banerjee after his government assumed office earlier this year. Adhikari directed officials to scrutinise the handwritten note recovered from the scene, along with call records and other evidence, as part of the probe. He voiced concern that "corrupt elements" within the TMC "might have threatened him," a pointed remark that has added a fresh political edge to the case. Banerjee, 74, was found dead on Sunday morning inside a TMC party office adjacent to his residence in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, in Birbhum district. Police said both doors to the room were locked from the inside, and the body was recovered after family members and independent witnesses alerted authorities. He was sent for post-mortem examination at Rampurhat Medical College, and investigators are working to verify the authenticity of a purported one-page note found near the body. In the note, Banerjee is said to have firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority, where he served as chairperson, stating he never sat on the tender committee, signed cheques, or approved plans. He reportedly described entering politics as "the biggest mistake" of his life and wrote that "no one is responsible for my death." Banerjee's family has pushed back on the suicide theory. His brother, Prasanta Banerjee, said the family had dinner with him the night before and saw no signs of distress, and demanded a proper investigation into the circumstances. The death has also opened up a bitter blame game within the TMC itself, between the party's official leadership and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata. Ritabrata's camp, which rushed to Rampurhat after learning of Banerjee's death, blamed alleged corruption and "organised loot" over the past 15 years for creating a backlash that engulfed even TMC leaders who had stayed personally clean. Ritabrata said "innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility" for the actions of a handful of people, adding that Banerjee had repeatedly tried to warn the "Kalighat" leadership that "what was happening was not right," but was ignored. He also recalled Banerjee's distress over unresolved requests to regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker. The Mamata camp hit back forcefully. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged Banerjee had been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and had been subjected to humiliation, saying "even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," and demanded action against those responsible for allegedly provoking him. Ghosh further claimed Banerjee had been pressured into joining the rebel camp after the TMC's poor showing in the 2026 Assembly elections, insisting the veteran leader had actually wanted to remain with the Mamata-led party. The rebel camp, in turn, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as stemming from his own disillusionment with the party's functioning and concerns over corruption. The competing claims have turned Banerjee's death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle. Mamata Banerjee said the leader had been "repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure," while TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, mourning a leader who had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity," alleged a sustained smear campaign against him under the new BJP administration. Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by such vilification could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions, adding, "Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back." Banerjee represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 until losing the 2026 Assembly election by over 24,000 votes. He had held ministerial portfolios including agriculture and school education, and served as Deputy Speaker from 2021 until TMC's defeat this year. He is survived by his wife and son. Police say further details are expected once the post-mortem and forensic examination of the note are complete.

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough probe into former Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee’s death amid questions over a purported suicide note and internal TMC blame game.

West Bengal CM orders probe as TMC MLA's death sparks political standoff between rival camps

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said.&nbsp;The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police.&nbsp;Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-accuses-brs-leaders-of-using-black-magic-to-usurp-power-occult-charges-not-new-in-politics-1786884046815">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics</a><h2>Arrest based on tip-off</h2>&nbsp;Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-middle-east-commander-visits-uss-lincoln-amid-iran-war-gaza-and-lebanon-tensions-1786882278296">US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions</a><h2>‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan.&nbsp;He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against  the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. 

A 23-year-old man from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, who was working as a security guard in Bengaluru, has been arrested on suspicion of maintaining contact with a member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police said. The accused, identified as Asaful Mallik, allegedly made voice calls to a TTP member and sent him audio recordings, according to the Hebbagodi police. Mallik, a native of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, had been residing near APC Circle in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Mallik was employed as a security guard with a private firm in the Bommasandra Industrial Area of the state capital. Also Read: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy accuses BRS leaders of using ‘black magic’ to usurp power; occult charges not new in politics Arrest based on tip-off Police said the arrest was made on Tuesday following a tip-off from an informant. Officers from the Hebbagodi police station tracked down Mallik and took him into custody as part of the operation. Also Read: US top commander visits USS Lincoln amid Iran war, Gaza and Lebanon tensions ‘He wanted to take revenge for Muslims’ During interrogation, police said Mallik told investigators that he harboured anger towards the Pakistan Army over what he believed were atrocities committed against mosques and the public in Pakistan. He also reportedly expressed anger over the Israel-Palestine conflict, alleging that the Pakistan Army was supporting Israel instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. According to police, Mallik said he had decided that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well. Investigators are continuing to question Mallik to determine the extent of his contact with the TTP and whether any wider network was involved. Further details are awaited, as the probe continues.

Asaful Mallik reportedly expressed anger against &nbsp;the Pakistan Army which he said was supporting Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict instead of aiding Palestinian Muslims. He said that he would “take revenge” on behalf of Muslims if they faced any problems in India as well.&nbsp;

Security guard arrested in Bengaluru over alleged links to Pakistani Taliban

Bangladesh has once again pulled forward the clock on its commercial life. As of Thursday, shops, markets and malls across the country must shutter by 8 p.m., an hour earlier than before, part of a widening set of emergency conservation rules meant to squeeze a few more megawatts out of a grid that simply does not have enough to go around. Hospitals, pharmacies and food vendors are spared. Nearly everyone else is not.&nbsp;It is a strikingly familiar scene. Only months ago, during the height of regional turmoil triggered by the Iran conflict, Dhaka ordered an even stricter curfew on commerce, forcing businesses closed by 6 p.m. That the country finds itself repeating the exercise says less about a single bad week and more about a structural vulnerability that a distant war keeps exposing.&nbsp;<h2>A crisis built on two points of failure</h2>&nbsp;The immediate trigger is mechanical rather than political. A fire last month at an LNG terminal operated by the American firm Excelerate Energy knocked out roughly half the country's import capacity; the facility only resumed partial operations this week. Around the same time, rough seas prevented at least two LNG carriers from offloading their cargo at Bangladesh's terminals, compounding the shortfall just as demand was already outrunning supply.&nbsp;The numbers tell the story starkly. The power sector needs more than a billion cubic feet of gas daily; it is currently receiving around 700 million. With national electricity demand near 18,000 megawatts against a supply capped closer to 13,000, the arithmetic of blackout was almost inevitable. Rural areas outside Dhaka have borne the brunt, with some regions reporting outages stretching eight to ten hours a day, worsened by an ongoing heatwave.&nbsp;<h2>When the grid fails, so does patience</h2>&nbsp;The human cost is visible in ways that go beyond inconvenience. Frustration has spilled into open confrontation in several districts, with reports of vandalism and arson targeting electricity infrastructure in areas including Saidpur, Nilphamari and Kushtia. Utility workers report being harassed, and in some cases threatened, while attempting to collect overdue bills. The Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association, which manages rural power cooperatives, has formally asked police to patrol substations and grid stations.&nbsp;The economic toll is just as tangible. Shrimp farmers, whose product makes Bangladesh the world's second-largest exporter of the crustacean, describe watching oxygen levels collapse in their ponds each time aerators lose power. The textile and garment sector, the backbone of the national economy, is similarly exposed to an unreliable grid. For an economy this dependent on continuous production cycles, prolonged load-shedding is not a nuisance; it is a direct threat to export competitiveness.&nbsp;<h2>The geopolitical undercurrent</h2>&nbsp;Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. The conflict centred on Iran rattled shipping routes, spiked fuel and LNG prices, and injected volatility into precisely the supply chains Dhaka relies on to keep the lights on. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.&nbsp;That exposure has pushed Bangladesh back toward an old, complicated relationship: its energy lifeline to India. The two countries are connected by the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, commissioned in 2017, under which New Delhi is committed to supplying 180,000 metric tonnes of diesel annually under a fifteen-year arrangement. Dhaka has now asked India to increase those flows, a request delivered directly to Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi by Bangladesh's energy minister, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood. India has already shipped more than 30,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh since the spring, when the Iran-linked disruptions first began rippling through South Asian energy markets.&nbsp;This quiet cooperation is notable precisely because political relations between the two nations have been anything but smooth. New Delhi's decision to shelter former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her 2024 ouster has remained a persistent irritant for the government of Tarique Rahman, and Hasina's recent public remarks from Delhi, her first since fleeing Dhaka, have only sharpened tensions. Energy interdependence, it seems, is proving more durable than diplomatic goodwill. Bangladesh needs India's diesel regardless of how it feels about India's guest.

Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.

Bangladesh has once again pulled forward the clock on its commercial life. As of Thursday, shops, markets and malls across the country must shutter by 8 p.m., an hour earlier than before, part of a widening set of emergency conservation rules meant to squeeze a few more megawatts out of a grid that simply does not have enough to go around. Hospitals, pharmacies and food vendors are spared. Nearly everyone else is not. It is a strikingly familiar scene. Only months ago, during the height of regional turmoil triggered by the Iran conflict, Dhaka ordered an even stricter curfew on commerce, forcing businesses closed by 6 p.m. That the country finds itself repeating the exercise says less about a single bad week and more about a structural vulnerability that a distant war keeps exposing. A crisis built on two points of failure The immediate trigger is mechanical rather than political. A fire last month at an LNG terminal operated by the American firm Excelerate Energy knocked out roughly half the country's import capacity; the facility only resumed partial operations this week. Around the same time, rough seas prevented at least two LNG carriers from offloading their cargo at Bangladesh's terminals, compounding the shortfall just as demand was already outrunning supply. The numbers tell the story starkly. The power sector needs more than a billion cubic feet of gas daily; it is currently receiving around 700 million. With national electricity demand near 18,000 megawatts against a supply capped closer to 13,000, the arithmetic of blackout was almost inevitable. Rural areas outside Dhaka have borne the brunt, with some regions reporting outages stretching eight to ten hours a day, worsened by an ongoing heatwave. When the grid fails, so does patience The human cost is visible in ways that go beyond inconvenience. Frustration has spilled into open confrontation in several districts, with reports of vandalism and arson targeting electricity infrastructure in areas including Saidpur, Nilphamari and Kushtia. Utility workers report being harassed, and in some cases threatened, while attempting to collect overdue bills. The Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association, which manages rural power cooperatives, has formally asked police to patrol substations and grid stations. The economic toll is just as tangible. Shrimp farmers, whose product makes Bangladesh the world's second-largest exporter of the crustacean, describe watching oxygen levels collapse in their ponds each time aerators lose power. The textile and garment sector, the backbone of the national economy, is similarly exposed to an unreliable grid. For an economy this dependent on continuous production cycles, prolonged load-shedding is not a nuisance; it is a direct threat to export competitiveness. The geopolitical undercurrent Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. The conflict centred on Iran rattled shipping routes, spiked fuel and LNG prices, and injected volatility into precisely the supply chains Dhaka relies on to keep the lights on. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits. That exposure has pushed Bangladesh back toward an old, complicated relationship: its energy lifeline to India. The two countries are connected by the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, commissioned in 2017, under which New Delhi is committed to supplying 180,000 metric tonnes of diesel annually under a fifteen-year arrangement. Dhaka has now asked India to increase those flows, a request delivered directly to Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi by Bangladesh's energy minister, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood. India has already shipped more than 30,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh since the spring, when the Iran-linked disruptions first began rippling through South Asian energy markets. This quiet cooperation is notable precisely because political relations between the two nations have been anything but smooth. New Delhi's decision to shelter former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her 2024 ouster has remained a persistent irritant for the government of Tarique Rahman, and Hasina's recent public remarks from Delhi, her first since fleeing Dhaka, have only sharpened tensions. Energy interdependence, it seems, is proving more durable than diplomatic goodwill. Bangladesh needs India's diesel regardless of how it feels about India's guest.

Bangladesh imports more than 90 percent of its oil and roughly 30 percent of its gas, a dependency that leaves its energy security hostage to global markets far beyond its control. A country with thin domestic reserves and heavy import exposure has almost no buffer when that volatility hits.

Blackout diplomacy: How the Iran War left Bangladesh in the dark

Barely 48 hours before Independence Day, an interception on the India-Bangladesh border has ignited a major espionage investigation in West Bengal after a suspected Pakistani operative was caught carrying a map and photographs of Fort William- the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters.&nbsp;Officers from the state's Special Task Force arrested the man, identified as Rana Rauf Khalid (alias Wahab Alam), along with an associate, Mohammad Ijaz, late Tuesday night in Habra, a border town in North 24 Parganas. The two were reportedly heading toward an unfenced stretch of the frontier along Jessore Road, apparently attempting to cross into Bangladesh, when STF personnel intercepted them.<h2>Fort William material at the centre of the probe</h2>The arrest has escalated into a wider security investigation because of what the two men were allegedly carrying: a map and photographs of Fort William, the historic garrison in Kolkata that now serves as headquarters for the Army's Eastern Command. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the material and its intended purpose.&nbsp;"One of the important aspects being examined is how the map and photographs of Fort William came into the possession of the accused, and whether these were part of any information-gathering activity," the STF official said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-challenges-trump-s-hormuz-claim-says-tehran-controls-strait-not-us-1786622171668">Iran challenges Trump’s Hormuz claim; says Tehran controls strait, not US</a><h2>Wiped phones and a cross-border digital trail</h2>Mobile phones seized from the two men are said to contain social media exchanges and contact numbers linking to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Some data had reportedly been deleted before the arrest, and reconstructing it has become a priority for investigators trying to map out the men's contacts and communications.&nbsp;The STF is also examining whether the pair had collected information on troop movements and infrastructure near the Petrapole and Ghojadanga border crossings- both considered sensitive points along the India-Bangladesh frontier- &nbsp;and whether their activities tie into a larger network active in the run-up to August 15. Officials stressed the investigation remains preliminary, with military intelligence units now involved.<h2>A trail from Faisalabad to Kathmandu to Topsia</h2>Investigators say Rauf is originally from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and moved to Kathmandu around 12 years ago to work as a wood-carving craftsman. It was there he is believed to have met Ijaz, a furniture trader from Kolkata's Topsia area.&nbsp;According to the STF, Rauf entered India six times over the years via the open, visa-free Indo-Nepal border, staying at Ijaz's Topsia residence for two- to three-month stretches each time. Investigators allege Ijaz helped him secure fake Aadhaar and voter ID documents during these visits, and that Rauf used the time to attempt recruiting young Indians for an as-yet-unspecified purpose.&nbsp;Officials say "confidential documents" recovered from the two men are being examined, though their contents haven't been made public. The STF is also probing Rauf's suspected links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, citing alleged contact with ISI officials at the Pakistani High Commission in Kathmandu.&nbsp;After the arrest, Rauf was taken to Habra hospital for a routine medical check-up. Both men were subsequently produced before a court in Barasat, which remanded them to 14 days of police custody.No confirmed link to earlier Purba Burdhaman case&nbsp;The arrest follows the STF's detention of another suspect, Hamim Mondal — allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed — from a housing complex in Purba Burdhaman on July 30. Mondal is accused of conducting reconnaissance near Chinar Park in New Town, Kolkata, where Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resides, allegedly tracking his rallies and appearances to map security vulnerabilities.&nbsp;Investigators say no connection has been established between Rauf and Mondal so far, treating the two cases as separate threads for now.

A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested near the India-Bangladesh border with reconnaissance material linked to Fort William, while security agencies probe his alleged connections with Pakistan's ISI.

Barely 48 hours before Independence Day, an interception on the India-Bangladesh border has ignited a major espionage investigation in West Bengal after a suspected Pakistani operative was caught carrying a map and photographs of Fort William- the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters. Officers from the state's Special Task Force arrested the man, identified as Rana Rauf Khalid (alias Wahab Alam), along with an associate, Mohammad Ijaz, late Tuesday night in Habra, a border town in North 24 Parganas. The two were reportedly heading toward an unfenced stretch of the frontier along Jessore Road, apparently attempting to cross into Bangladesh, when STF personnel intercepted them. Fort William material at the centre of the probe The arrest has escalated into a wider security investigation because of what the two men were allegedly carrying: a map and photographs of Fort William, the historic garrison in Kolkata that now serves as headquarters for the Army's Eastern Command. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the material and its intended purpose. "One of the important aspects being examined is how the map and photographs of Fort William came into the possession of the accused, and whether these were part of any information-gathering activity," the STF official said. Also Read: Iran challenges Trump’s Hormuz claim; says Tehran controls strait, not US Wiped phones and a cross-border digital trail Mobile phones seized from the two men are said to contain social media exchanges and contact numbers linking to Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Some data had reportedly been deleted before the arrest, and reconstructing it has become a priority for investigators trying to map out the men's contacts and communications. The STF is also examining whether the pair had collected information on troop movements and infrastructure near the Petrapole and Ghojadanga border crossings- both considered sensitive points along the India-Bangladesh frontier- and whether their activities tie into a larger network active in the run-up to August 15. Officials stressed the investigation remains preliminary, with military intelligence units now involved. A trail from Faisalabad to Kathmandu to Topsia Investigators say Rauf is originally from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and moved to Kathmandu around 12 years ago to work as a wood-carving craftsman. It was there he is believed to have met Ijaz, a furniture trader from Kolkata's Topsia area. According to the STF, Rauf entered India six times over the years via the open, visa-free Indo-Nepal border, staying at Ijaz's Topsia residence for two- to three-month stretches each time. Investigators allege Ijaz helped him secure fake Aadhaar and voter ID documents during these visits, and that Rauf used the time to attempt recruiting young Indians for an as-yet-unspecified purpose. Officials say "confidential documents" recovered from the two men are being examined, though their contents haven't been made public. The STF is also probing Rauf's suspected links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, citing alleged contact with ISI officials at the Pakistani High Commission in Kathmandu. After the arrest, Rauf was taken to Habra hospital for a routine medical check-up. Both men were subsequently produced before a court in Barasat, which remanded them to 14 days of police custody. No confirmed link to earlier Purba Burdhaman case The arrest follows the STF's detention of another suspect, Hamim Mondal — allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed — from a housing complex in Purba Burdhaman on July 30. Mondal is accused of conducting reconnaissance near Chinar Park in New Town, Kolkata, where Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resides, allegedly tracking his rallies and appearances to map security vulnerabilities. Investigators say no connection has been established between Rauf and Mondal so far, treating the two cases as separate threads for now.

A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested near the India-Bangladesh border with reconnaissance material linked to Fort William, while security agencies probe his alleged connections with Pakistan's ISI.

Pakistani spy held near India-Bangladesh border with Fort William recon material; ISI links under probe

Two years after a young doctor's rape and murder at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital convulsed West Bengal, the case has claimed its most politically significant scalp yet. Nirmal Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress MLA from Panihati, was arrested in Odisha on Thursday, accused of orchestrating a hurried, unauthorised cremation that the victim's family says was designed to destroy evidence.&nbsp;Ghosh was brought back to Bengal by a Barrackpore Police Commissionerate team after evading investigators for days following an FIR lodged against him at Khardah police station. His son, Tirthankar Ghosh, had already been arrested in an earlier phase of the investigation in July.<h2>What the Family Alleges</h2>The FIR, filed by the father of the victim- referred to as Abhaya- centres on the chaotic hours after the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee's body was discovered at RG Kar on August 9, 2024. The complaint alleges that Ghosh, along with two local municipal councillors, forced entry into the family's home, intimidated relatives, and had the body driven to the Panihati crematorium without giving the family time to grieve or the chance to consent.&nbsp;The family maintains the cremation was rushed specifically to prevent a second post-mortem examination- one they believe could have surfaced forensic evidence contradicting the official account of the crime. Investigators have flagged several irregularities that lend weight to that suspicion:&nbsp;<ul><li>&nbsp;The doctor's body was third in the queue at the crematorium, yet was moved to the front without explanation.</li><li>&nbsp;The cremation certificate carries no signature from any family member.</li><li>Instead, Sanjib Mukherjee — a neighbour the family did not know — reportedly signed the document as the informant.</li></ul>Ghosh now faces charges including criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, trespass on burial places, criminal conspiracy, and preparing a false record as a public servant, carrying a potential sentence of up to seven years. Two other named accused, former Panihati Municipality councillors Somnath Dey and Sanjib Mukherjee, were already in police custody earlier in the week.<h2>The Politics Behind the Arrest</h2>Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's Chief Minister after BJP's rise to power, has used the RG Kar case to reinforce the party's political messaging around justice for "Abhaya," the pseudonym given to the murdered doctor. He announced a fresh probe into the case at the request of the victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, who is now a BJP MLA, ordering a special investigation and a separate probe into the alleged mishandling of the cremation. Central to his allegations was the claim that the victim's body, originally third in the crematorium queue at Natagarh Kadamtala, was abruptly moved to first position and cremated in unusual haste, with cremation charges left unpaid by the family. Adhikari framed this as part of a broader commitment, declaring the government's resolve to fight for justice and recalling the emotional weight of August 9, 2024, the day the doctor's body was found.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh has been arrested in Odisha in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of the RG Kar rape-murder victim. The case raises fresh questions over possible evidence tampering, irregularities in the cremation process and the events following the doctor's death.

Two years after a young doctor's rape and murder at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital convulsed West Bengal, the case has claimed its most politically significant scalp yet. Nirmal Ghosh, a former Trinamool Congress MLA from Panihati, was arrested in Odisha on Thursday, accused of orchestrating a hurried, unauthorised cremation that the victim's family says was designed to destroy evidence. Ghosh was brought back to Bengal by a Barrackpore Police Commissionerate team after evading investigators for days following an FIR lodged against him at Khardah police station. His son, Tirthankar Ghosh, had already been arrested in an earlier phase of the investigation in July. What the Family Alleges The FIR, filed by the father of the victim- referred to as Abhaya- centres on the chaotic hours after the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee's body was discovered at RG Kar on August 9, 2024. The complaint alleges that Ghosh, along with two local municipal councillors, forced entry into the family's home, intimidated relatives, and had the body driven to the Panihati crematorium without giving the family time to grieve or the chance to consent. The family maintains the cremation was rushed specifically to prevent a second post-mortem examination- one they believe could have surfaced forensic evidence contradicting the official account of the crime. Investigators have flagged several irregularities that lend weight to that suspicion: The doctor's body was third in the queue at the crematorium, yet was moved to the front without explanation. The cremation certificate carries no signature from any family member. Instead, Sanjib Mukherjee — a neighbour the family did not know — reportedly signed the document as the informant. Ghosh now faces charges including criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, trespass on burial places, criminal conspiracy, and preparing a false record as a public servant, carrying a potential sentence of up to seven years. Two other named accused, former Panihati Municipality councillors Somnath Dey and Sanjib Mukherjee, were already in police custody earlier in the week. The Politics Behind the Arrest Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's Chief Minister after BJP's rise to power, has used the RG Kar case to reinforce the party's political messaging around justice for "Abhaya," the pseudonym given to the murdered doctor. He announced a fresh probe into the case at the request of the victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, who is now a BJP MLA, ordering a special investigation and a separate probe into the alleged mishandling of the cremation. Central to his allegations was the claim that the victim's body, originally third in the crematorium queue at Natagarh Kadamtala, was abruptly moved to first position and cremated in unusual haste, with cremation charges left unpaid by the family. Adhikari framed this as part of a broader commitment, declaring the government's resolve to fight for justice and recalling the emotional weight of August 9, 2024, the day the doctor's body was found.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh has been arrested in Odisha in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of the RG Kar rape-murder victim. The case raises fresh questions over possible evidence tampering, irregularities in the cremation process and the events following the doctor's death.

Former TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh arrested in RG Kar cremation cover-up case

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Shreya Ghosh

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.