At least four people were killed, one person injured and another reported missing after armed assailants ambushed civilians on the Imphal-Tamenglong (IT) road in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday (Aug 27), officials said, reigniting tensions between the Naga and Kuki communities in the region. The attack took place around 8:30 am between Makui Ashang and Thananba Naga village—a stretch locals describe as a vital lifeline connecting Naga villages along the IT road. Officials said intense firing broke out following the ambush, though the circumstances and the identities of those responsible were not immediately established.&nbsp;According to local authorities, all four victims belonged to the Naga community. They were identified as Tadsongbou Ringkangmai, founder and principal of Right Path School, T. Khullen; Mariakdibou Wijunamai and Anil Wijunamai, both executive members of Makui Youth Club; and Japou MK, a student leader of Thonglang Akutpa. Gaikamang Ringkangmai was injured and evacuated to a nearby hospital, while Wisobou Charenamai, chairman of the Chawangkining Village Authority, remains missing, with a search operation underway.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/retired-teacher-to-check-noise-on-roof-found-family-dead-by-morning-1787594998821">Retired teacher went to check noise on roof, found family dead by morning</a>&nbsp;Locals alleged that cadres of the Kuki National Front-Nehlun (KNF-N) and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) carried out the ambush, though the claim could not be independently verified.&nbsp;In a separate development, the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers Twilang Lhang (KZVV) alleged that armed miscreants attacked Kuki farmers at Naibet village in Senapati district the same morning, around 9:20 am. "The KZVV views the incident as a serious provocation, particularly at a time when the Kuki community along the IT Road has been advocating dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence," the group said in a statement. This incident, too, had no official confirmation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The twin attacks come just a day after Deputy Chief Minister Losi Dikho held a high-level peace meeting in Senapati with the United Naga Council, alongside CRPF, Assam Rifles and police officials — underscoring how fragile ongoing reconciliation efforts remain. The violence also follows a pattern of recurring ambushes on the same corridor, including an earlier attack that killed two farmers in Kangpokpi.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/manipur-delegation-heads-to-delhi-as-nrc-protests-force-school-closures-1787246178060">Manipur Delegation heads to Delhi as NRC protests force school closures</a>&nbsp;The broader ethnic conflict, which began between Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023 before drawing in other groups including the Nagas, has already killed over 260 people and displaced 60,000. Meiteis dominate the Imphal Valley while Kukis live largely in the hills; the state government insists there are no formal buffer zones, though it acknowledges sensitive areas. A new coalition government, formed in February after nearly a year of President's Rule, has struggled to contain sporadic violence despite representing all three major communities.&nbsp;With identities of attackers unconfirmed and communal narratives already diverging, the incident risks deepening mistrust just as fragile peace talks were gaining traction. &nbsp;

Four Naga civilians were killed following a shooting on Manipur's IT Road just one day after peace talks. Read the latest updates on the escalating situation.

At least four people were killed, one person injured and another reported missing after armed assailants ambushed civilians on the Imphal-Tamenglong (IT) road in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday (Aug 27), officials said, reigniting tensions between the Naga and Kuki communities in the region. The attack took place around 8:30 am between Makui Ashang and Thananba Naga village—a stretch locals describe as a vital lifeline connecting Naga villages along the IT road. Officials said intense firing broke out following the ambush, though the circumstances and the identities of those responsible were not immediately established. According to local authorities, all four victims belonged to the Naga community. They were identified as Tadsongbou Ringkangmai, founder and principal of Right Path School, T. Khullen; Mariakdibou Wijunamai and Anil Wijunamai, both executive members of Makui Youth Club; and Japou MK, a student leader of Thonglang Akutpa. Gaikamang Ringkangmai was injured and evacuated to a nearby hospital, while Wisobou Charenamai, chairman of the Chawangkining Village Authority, remains missing, with a search operation underway. Also read: Retired teacher went to check noise on roof, found family dead by morning Locals alleged that cadres of the Kuki National Front-Nehlun (KNF-N) and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) carried out the ambush, though the claim could not be independently verified. In a separate development, the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers Twilang Lhang (KZVV) alleged that armed miscreants attacked Kuki farmers at Naibet village in Senapati district the same morning, around 9:20 am. "The KZVV views the incident as a serious provocation, particularly at a time when the Kuki community along the IT Road has been advocating dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence," the group said in a statement. This incident, too, had no official confirmation. The twin attacks come just a day after Deputy Chief Minister Losi Dikho held a high-level peace meeting in Senapati with the United Naga Council, alongside CRPF, Assam Rifles and police officials — underscoring how fragile ongoing reconciliation efforts remain. The violence also follows a pattern of recurring ambushes on the same corridor, including an earlier attack that killed two farmers in Kangpokpi. Also read: Manipur Delegation heads to Delhi as NRC protests force school closures The broader ethnic conflict, which began between Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023 before drawing in other groups including the Nagas, has already killed over 260 people and displaced 60,000. Meiteis dominate the Imphal Valley while Kukis live largely in the hills; the state government insists there are no formal buffer zones, though it acknowledges sensitive areas. A new coalition government, formed in February after nearly a year of President's Rule, has struggled to contain sporadic violence despite representing all three major communities. With identities of attackers unconfirmed and communal narratives already diverging, the incident risks deepening mistrust just as fragile peace talks were gaining traction.

Four Naga civilians were killed following a shooting on Manipur's IT Road just one day after peace talks. Read the latest updates on the escalating situation.

A day after peace talks, bullets on Manipur's IT road: 4 Naga civilians dead

The West Bengal Health Department has sought an explanation from Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) after 10 newborns died there in a single day during the second week of August, part of a wider toll of 60 child deaths at the facility across the first three weeks of the month.The department has ordered a formal review of MMCH's paediatric and neonatal care, and is simultaneously examining private hospitals, nursing homes and block-level health centres from which many of the children had been referred before their deaths.<h2>Ten deaths in a single day</h2>Hospital authorities have acknowledged the deaths. Speaking to reporters, MMCH Medical Superintendent-cum-Vice Principal (MSVP) Dr Prasenjit Bar said the incident occurred during the second week of August, when around 10 newborns died on a single day. "Eight of the 10 babies were brought to the hospital from outside, while two were born at Malda Medical College and Hospital," Dr Bar said.He said the deaths resulted from a range of medical conditions, including low birth weight, asphyxia, jaundice and heart-related ailments, among other causes — complications that often stem from premature or complicated deliveries and require prompt intervention to survive."We have already sent a primary report to the Health Department and the higher authorities. A detailed report is being prepared," Dr Bar added.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kottayam-man-held-for-selling-wife-s-private-videos-pocso-case-filed-after-4yo-daughter-s-statement-1787643268896">Kottayam man held for ‘selling’ wife’s private videos, POCSO case filed after 4yo daughter’s statement</a><h2>Referral pattern under scrutiny</h2>Officials say the pattern seen in the single-day cluster reflects a wider trend across the month: of the 60 deaths recorded in August, 44 involved infants who were born elsewhere and referred to MMCH only after their condition worsened. That has turned attention toward the standard of care and timeliness of referral at smaller facilities feeding into the medical college, which serves as a referral hub for Malda and surrounding districts.As part of the probe, health officials have so far inspected 16 hospitals and nursing homes. The Health Department is also examining whether there were gaps in the healthcare arrangements available to mothers and newborns, and whether existing protocols for maternal and child health were properly followed at the referring facilities.<h2>Investigation underway</h2>An initial inquiry into the deaths is already in progress, and the preliminary report has been submitted to the state government, though the more detailed findings from MMCH are still awaited. That report is expected to shed further light on the individual cases and the circumstances surrounding each death.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/high-drama-at-pakistan-university-protest-erupts-after-security-officer-opens-fire-manhandles-female-student-1787579436796">WATCH | High drama at Pakistan university: Protest erupts after security officer ‘opens fire’, manhandles female student</a>The Malda district magistrate is scheduled to chair a meeting on Thursday to review the situation and go over the investigation's findings so far, a step that could shape what corrective action, if any, follows at MMCH and the referring facilities.<h2>Wider health department scrutiny</h2>The Malda cluster comes even as the state's health leadership has been focused on tightening oversight of hospital practices elsewhere in Bengal. Earlier on Sunday, state Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee — who has been camping in Burdwan for four consecutive days — proposed a 72-hour restriction on private surgeries conducted at Bardhaman under government insurance schemes, aimed at curbing misuse of free services.The minister flagged a pattern in which patients were admitted for operations, availed free investigations such as CT scans and blood tests, and then sought Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA) within minutes — telling doctors simply, "I am leaving voluntarily." He suggested the trend pointed to a well-designed malpractice rather than genuine medical need.MMCH has a history of recurring infant deaths in clusters, particularly during periods of extreme weather or seasonal illness, and past reviews have often pointed to low birth weight, infection and delayed referral as recurring factors — a backdrop against which the current investigation is being closely watched by health authorities and local families alike.

The West Bengal health department is inspecting local facilities after 60 children, mostly referred critical newborns, died at Malda Medical College and Hospital over three weeks in August.

The West Bengal Health Department has sought an explanation from Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) after 10 newborns died there in a single day during the second week of August, part of a wider toll of 60 child deaths at the facility across the first three weeks of the month. The department has ordered a formal review of MMCH's paediatric and neonatal care, and is simultaneously examining private hospitals, nursing homes and block-level health centres from which many of the children had been referred before their deaths. Ten deaths in a single day Hospital authorities have acknowledged the deaths. Speaking to reporters, MMCH Medical Superintendent-cum-Vice Principal (MSVP) Dr Prasenjit Bar said the incident occurred during the second week of August, when around 10 newborns died on a single day. "Eight of the 10 babies were brought to the hospital from outside, while two were born at Malda Medical College and Hospital," Dr Bar said. He said the deaths resulted from a range of medical conditions, including low birth weight, asphyxia, jaundice and heart-related ailments, among other causes — complications that often stem from premature or complicated deliveries and require prompt intervention to survive. "We have already sent a primary report to the Health Department and the higher authorities. A detailed report is being prepared," Dr Bar added. Also read: Kottayam man held for ‘selling’ wife’s private videos, POCSO case filed after 4yo daughter’s statement Referral pattern under scrutiny Officials say the pattern seen in the single-day cluster reflects a wider trend across the month: of the 60 deaths recorded in August, 44 involved infants who were born elsewhere and referred to MMCH only after their condition worsened. That has turned attention toward the standard of care and timeliness of referral at smaller facilities feeding into the medical college, which serves as a referral hub for Malda and surrounding districts. As part of the probe, health officials have so far inspected 16 hospitals and nursing homes. The Health Department is also examining whether there were gaps in the healthcare arrangements available to mothers and newborns, and whether existing protocols for maternal and child health were properly followed at the referring facilities. Investigation underway An initial inquiry into the deaths is already in progress, and the preliminary report has been submitted to the state government, though the more detailed findings from MMCH are still awaited. That report is expected to shed further light on the individual cases and the circumstances surrounding each death. Also read: WATCH | High drama at Pakistan university: Protest erupts after security officer ‘opens fire’, manhandles female student The Malda district magistrate is scheduled to chair a meeting on Thursday to review the situation and go over the investigation's findings so far, a step that could shape what corrective action, if any, follows at MMCH and the referring facilities. Wider health department scrutiny The Malda cluster comes even as the state's health leadership has been focused on tightening oversight of hospital practices elsewhere in Bengal. Earlier on Sunday, state Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee — who has been camping in Burdwan for four consecutive days — proposed a 72-hour restriction on private surgeries conducted at Bardhaman under government insurance schemes, aimed at curbing misuse of free services. The minister flagged a pattern in which patients were admitted for operations, availed free investigations such as CT scans and blood tests, and then sought Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA) within minutes — telling doctors simply, "I am leaving voluntarily." He suggested the trend pointed to a well-designed malpractice rather than genuine medical need. MMCH has a history of recurring infant deaths in clusters, particularly during periods of extreme weather or seasonal illness, and past reviews have often pointed to low birth weight, infection and delayed referral as recurring factors — a backdrop against which the current investigation is being closely watched by health authorities and local families alike.

The West Bengal health department is inspecting local facilities after 60 children, mostly referred critical newborns, died at Malda Medical College and Hospital over three weeks in August.

60 children die at Malda Medical College in three weeks, state seeks detailed report

Families across West Bengal are living through an agonising wait, as at least 36 tourists from Kolkata and surrounding districts remain unaccounted for following a devastating flash flood that struck the Rasuwagadhi area on the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday (Aug 26). According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 178 Indians are still missing.<h2>A pilgrimage turned nightmare</h2>The group, organised by Kolkata-based Chalo Jai Travel for a 12-day Kailash-Manasarovar package tour, had left Howrah Station on August 21, brimming with spiritual anticipation. The itinerary had gone smoothly at first — a peaceful first day in Kathmandu, visits to the sacred Pashupatinath and Guhyeshwari temples, then the journey toward Syabrubesi and onward to the Tibet border crossing at Rasuwagadhi.That is where tragedy struck. According to the travel agency, the group of 30 tourists and two tour managers was crossing at Rasuwagadhi around 8:35 am IST on Wednesday when a flash flood tore through the area and destroyed a bridge. Contact was lost by 10:30 am and has not been re-established since. Chilling irony: another group of 94 South Indian tourists had crossed the very same spot just five minutes earlier, narrowly escaping disaster as their vehicle had already crossed into Tibet.<h2>Fragments of hope amid fear</h2>For one family, a small ray of hope emerged. Shubhashree Chakraborty, currently missing, texted her husband early Wednesday morning that she had cleared Nepal immigration, her passport freshly stamped, and that she was waiting on the bus for what should have been a short 15-minute ride to Chinese immigration. Then — silence. The flood hit around 8:30 am, suggesting she and others may have already crossed into the Tibet immigration office when disaster struck. Reports suggest Chinese immigration authorities shut the office by 9 am and moved several people to an army camp for rescue operations. Her husband believes contacting Chinese authorities directly may be the only way to learn her fate.Susmita Bhattacharya (66), a resident of Kasba, left on August 21 with the Mithila Express along with the Chalo Jai group to travel to Mansarovar.“We last spoke to her on Sunday, and had WhatsApp contact on Monday. That was the last time we heard from her,” said Tiyasha Chatterjee, her daughter-in-law.Other families are equally desperate. Sujata Banerjee, whose husband's friend Arindam Ganguly is missing along with his wife Mausumi Ganguly, described the torment of incomplete answers: "We have not been able to speak to them since yesterday. We also called the travel agency, and they told us that they had spoken to them last night and again this morning... They are not giving us complete details, and we are extremely worried and disturbed."Another pilgrim couple who travelled with the Chalo Jai are also missing. Manas Kumar Ghosh (65), a retired employee, and his wife, Dipali Sarkar, left on August 21. Their flat is currently locked. Their daughter, Adrija, lives in Delhi and is studying medicine at AIIMS.Not every story ends in the unknown. Actor Rajatava Dutta confirmed that fellow actor Kharaj Mukherjee, who was in Nepal for a film shoot and had been reported stranded near Pokhara, is safe — though stuck far from the disaster zone with roads blocked and flights grounded.<h2>State and Centre mobilise</h2>The West Bengal government said it is in constant touch with Nepalese authorities and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and is preparing to send a team of officials to the affected area today. Kolkata Police has opened a toll-free helpline — 1800-345-5678 — for anxious families seeking information. So far, 36 people from Kolkata and other parts of the state have been reported missing.Meanwhile, the Centre has directed Chief Secretaries across all states to compile detailed lists of missing residents, intended to help the Ministry of External Affairs coordinate directly with grieving and frightened families.Four representatives from Chalo Jai Travel have flown to Kathmandu to work with Nepalese authorities in the search. As rescue efforts continue in the flood-ravaged Rasuwagadhi region, families in Kolkata, Hooghly, and Bardhaman can do little but wait by their phones — clinging, as one husband put it, to the hope that even silence from behind a closed border does not mean the worst.

The West Bengal government said it is in constant touch with Nepalese authorities and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and is preparing to send a team of officials to the affected area today. 

Families across West Bengal are living through an agonising wait, as at least 36 tourists from Kolkata and surrounding districts remain unaccounted for following a devastating flash flood that struck the Rasuwagadhi area on the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday (Aug 26). According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 178 Indians are still missing. A pilgrimage turned nightmare The group, organised by Kolkata-based Chalo Jai Travel for a 12-day Kailash-Manasarovar package tour, had left Howrah Station on August 21, brimming with spiritual anticipation. The itinerary had gone smoothly at first — a peaceful first day in Kathmandu, visits to the sacred Pashupatinath and Guhyeshwari temples, then the journey toward Syabrubesi and onward to the Tibet border crossing at Rasuwagadhi. That is where tragedy struck. According to the travel agency, the group of 30 tourists and two tour managers was crossing at Rasuwagadhi around 8:35 am IST on Wednesday when a flash flood tore through the area and destroyed a bridge. Contact was lost by 10:30 am and has not been re-established since. Chilling irony: another group of 94 South Indian tourists had crossed the very same spot just five minutes earlier, narrowly escaping disaster as their vehicle had already crossed into Tibet. Fragments of hope amid fear For one family, a small ray of hope emerged. Shubhashree Chakraborty, currently missing, texted her husband early Wednesday morning that she had cleared Nepal immigration, her passport freshly stamped, and that she was waiting on the bus for what should have been a short 15-minute ride to Chinese immigration. Then — silence. The flood hit around 8:30 am, suggesting she and others may have already crossed into the Tibet immigration office when disaster struck. Reports suggest Chinese immigration authorities shut the office by 9 am and moved several people to an army camp for rescue operations. Her husband believes contacting Chinese authorities directly may be the only way to learn her fate. Susmita Bhattacharya (66), a resident of Kasba, left on August 21 with the Mithila Express along with the Chalo Jai group to travel to Mansarovar. “We last spoke to her on Sunday, and had WhatsApp contact on Monday. That was the last time we heard from her,” said Tiyasha Chatterjee, her daughter-in-law. Other families are equally desperate. Sujata Banerjee, whose husband's friend Arindam Ganguly is missing along with his wife Mausumi Ganguly, described the torment of incomplete answers: "We have not been able to speak to them since yesterday. We also called the travel agency, and they told us that they had spoken to them last night and again this morning... They are not giving us complete details, and we are extremely worried and disturbed." Another pilgrim couple who travelled with the Chalo Jai are also missing. Manas Kumar Ghosh (65), a retired employee, and his wife, Dipali Sarkar, left on August 21. Their flat is currently locked. Their daughter, Adrija, lives in Delhi and is studying medicine at AIIMS. Not every story ends in the unknown. Actor Rajatava Dutta confirmed that fellow actor Kharaj Mukherjee, who was in Nepal for a film shoot and had been reported stranded near Pokhara, is safe — though stuck far from the disaster zone with roads blocked and flights grounded. State and Centre mobilise The West Bengal government said it is in constant touch with Nepalese authorities and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and is preparing to send a team of officials to the affected area today. Kolkata Police has opened a toll-free helpline — 1800-345-5678 — for anxious families seeking information. So far, 36 people from Kolkata and other parts of the state have been reported missing. Meanwhile, the Centre has directed Chief Secretaries across all states to compile detailed lists of missing residents, intended to help the Ministry of External Affairs coordinate directly with grieving and frightened families. Four representatives from Chalo Jai Travel have flown to Kathmandu to work with Nepalese authorities in the search. As rescue efforts continue in the flood-ravaged Rasuwagadhi region, families in Kolkata, Hooghly, and Bardhaman can do little but wait by their phones — clinging, as one husband put it, to the hope that even silence from behind a closed border does not mean the worst.

The West Bengal government said it is in constant touch with Nepalese authorities and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and is preparing to send a team of officials to the affected area today.&nbsp;

Nepal floods: 36 West Bengal pilgrims missing as State, Centre launch rescue coordination

The inquiry panel set up to investigate last week's violent clash at Jadavpur University suffered another blow on Wednesday, as a second member resigned within three days, deepening uncertainty over the probe even as tensions continued to spill onto other campuses across West Bengal. Arunasis Goswami, vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Ambedkar Education University, submitted his resignation from the panel to Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya on Wednesday morning.&nbsp;&nbsp;His exit follows that of Professor Subha Shankar Sarkar, vice-chancellor of Netaji Subhas Open University, who had been appointed committee chairman before stepping down on August 24. Sarkar's resignation came after objections from the RSS-affiliated teachers' body, Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), which flagged his past ties to the West Bengal School Service Commission, an institution dogged by corruption allegations under the previous government.&nbsp;The panel was constituted to probe the pre-dawn violence of August 20, when ABVP supporters, armed with lathis and sticks, stormed the campus around 2 a.m., tearing down and torching posters belonging to Left-affiliated student unions. The group alleged its members had earlier been assaulted during a general body meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union. Rival rallies followed through the day, forcing police to erect barricades to keep the factions apart.&nbsp;At least four FIRs have since been filed at the local police station, one by university authorities over the campus vandalism, cross-complaints lodged by the SFI and ABVP against each other, and a separate complaint over the assault on ABVP supporters. Police on Tuesday questioned university registrar Selim Box Mandal, whom the ABRSM has accused of leaking confidential university information to outsiders.&nbsp;On Wednesday, ABVP workers staged a protest at the 8B Bus Stand opposite the university's Gate No. 2, renewing their demand that the National Investigation Agency take over the probe. The unrest has not stayed confined to Jadavpur. Presidency University, Calcutta University and Medinipur College have all reported friction between ABVP activists and rival student groups in recent days.&nbsp;The volatility escalated further on Wednesday night at West Bengal State University, where ABVP and Trinamool Congress supporters clashed over arrangements for the Rakhi Bandhan festival. The ABVP alleged that Trinamool supporters had abducted and assaulted one of its students the previous night, and that further attacks followed when they protested, allegedly because the vice-chancellor had allotted festival funds to the ABVP unit this year. Trinamool supporters countered that they were ambushed while preparing for the event. Several people were injured, prompting an FIR from university authorities. Duttapukur police arrested four Trinamool supporters in connection with the incident.

The panel was constituted to probe the pre-dawn violence of August 20, when ABVP supporters, armed with lathis and sticks, stormed the campus around 2 a.m., tearing down and torching posters belonging to Left-affiliated student unions.

The inquiry panel set up to investigate last week's violent clash at Jadavpur University suffered another blow on Wednesday, as a second member resigned within three days, deepening uncertainty over the probe even as tensions continued to spill onto other campuses across West Bengal. Arunasis Goswami, vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Ambedkar Education University, submitted his resignation from the panel to Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya on Wednesday morning. His exit follows that of Professor Subha Shankar Sarkar, vice-chancellor of Netaji Subhas Open University, who had been appointed committee chairman before stepping down on August 24. Sarkar's resignation came after objections from the RSS-affiliated teachers' body, Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), which flagged his past ties to the West Bengal School Service Commission, an institution dogged by corruption allegations under the previous government. The panel was constituted to probe the pre-dawn violence of August 20, when ABVP supporters, armed with lathis and sticks, stormed the campus around 2 a.m., tearing down and torching posters belonging to Left-affiliated student unions. The group alleged its members had earlier been assaulted during a general body meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union. Rival rallies followed through the day, forcing police to erect barricades to keep the factions apart. At least four FIRs have since been filed at the local police station, one by university authorities over the campus vandalism, cross-complaints lodged by the SFI and ABVP against each other, and a separate complaint over the assault on ABVP supporters. Police on Tuesday questioned university registrar Selim Box Mandal, whom the ABRSM has accused of leaking confidential university information to outsiders. On Wednesday, ABVP workers staged a protest at the 8B Bus Stand opposite the university's Gate No. 2, renewing their demand that the National Investigation Agency take over the probe. The unrest has not stayed confined to Jadavpur. Presidency University, Calcutta University and Medinipur College have all reported friction between ABVP activists and rival student groups in recent days. The volatility escalated further on Wednesday night at West Bengal State University, where ABVP and Trinamool Congress supporters clashed over arrangements for the Rakhi Bandhan festival. The ABVP alleged that Trinamool supporters had abducted and assaulted one of its students the previous night, and that further attacks followed when they protested, allegedly because the vice-chancellor had allotted festival funds to the ABVP unit this year. Trinamool supporters countered that they were ambushed while preparing for the event. Several people were injured, prompting an FIR from university authorities. Duttapukur police arrested four Trinamool supporters in connection with the incident.

The panel was constituted to probe the pre-dawn violence of August 20, when ABVP supporters, armed with lathis and sticks, stormed the campus around 2 a.m., tearing down and torching posters belonging to Left-affiliated student unions.

Second panel member quits JU probe committee amid ABVP-Left clash fallout

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

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