As West Bengal goes to polls, read about 40 incidents of rapes, murders andvandalism committed by TMC goons following the 2021 Vidhan Sabha election

Under the Trinamool Congress rule in West Bengal, elections are not just a routine democratic exercise but a real battle for survival for those who do not support the party’s ideology. Be it the state assembly elections or any local body elections, targeted post-poll violence against political rivals has become a norm for the TMC in the Mamata Banerjee-ruled state. While organising free and fair elections in the state is a challenge in itself, the announcement of the election results unleashes a phase of TMC-enabled carnage against political rivals. Numerous horror stories of assaults, killings and rapes emerged from across the state after the results of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections were announced. Here are 40 terrifying incidents of post-poll violence reported in the state between May 2021 and July 2021 against BJP cadres after the TMC formed the government in the state for the third time: 1. BJP worker Avijit Sarkar was lynched to death by TMC workers BJP worker Avijit Sarkar was lynched to death by some TMC goons on May 2, 2021, hours after he uploaded two videos on Facebook. The video showed TMC workers vandalising his house and NGO office in Ward no. 30 in the Beleghata neighbourhood in Kolkata. Sarkar was a dog-lover and had adopted several stray dogs, one of whom had given birth to 5 puppies. The TMC members did not spare his dogs and brutally thrashed the 5 puppies. Sarkar, an office-bearer of the Bhartiya Mazdoor Trade Union Council, had responded to a knock at his door. He was then dragged outside, brutally assaulted, and strangled with a cable TV wire. His dead body was later discovered at some distance from his house. Sarkar’s only fault was that he was a supporter of the BJP. 2. The house of a BJP worker, Bishwanath Dhar vandalised In another act of post-poll violence, several TMC goons attacked the house of an active BJP worker, Bishwanath Dhar, on May 2, 2021. The incident took place in Ghola Mallikpara in Panihati municipality in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The TMC goons broke into Dhar’s house and vandalised his property. The hoodlums first destroyed the CCTV cameras and then began looting the BJP worker’s residence. They broke open the almirah and stole cash and ornaments. On their way out, they also damaged his Maruti car and a Royal Enfield (Bullet) bike. 3. A BJP worker was assaulted mercilessly at his own house In one such incident that has now come to light, a BJP worker was assaulted mercilessly at his own residence, allegedly by the workers of the ruling TMC. The incident took place in Kismatdapat village of Trimohini in the South Dinajpur district of West Bengal. The area falls under the Balurghat Vidhan Sabha constituency. TMC goons ambushed the victim’s house and attacked him. The BJP worker sustained head injuries and bled profusely. The miscreants also entered his house and vandalised the property. A video of the video surfaced online, showing a visibly drunken man abusing the victim and his wife with the choicest of expletives. Referring to the BJP worker as a ‘son of a pig’, he proceeded to hit him with a bamboo shaft. “BJP dekhachis (Showing me the might of BJP). How much power do you? Do you think you came to power?” the miscreant threatened. 4. BJP candidate Scientist Gobardhan Das, trapped inside his house by TMC goons After the elections, TMC goons surrounded and attacked several belonging to the BJP volunteers in the village of Gobardhan Das, a BJP candidate who contested from Purbasthalu Uttar constituency. Das, a scientist and a Professor of Molecular Medicine at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. Das faced a life-threatening situation on May 4, 2021, after he was trapped in his own house by TMC goons. His residence was also ambushed by the miscreants, resulting in him being trapped in his own house along with other family members. The TMC goons hurled country-made crude bombs at his house.  5. TMC workers attacked the houses of BSF personnel TMC goons not only targeted BJP workers but also did not spare security personnel, who did not even qualify as their political rivals. The house of BSF jawan Kamal Sen was attacked, plundered and ransacked by the TMC hooligans in Raniparhat in the Jalpaiguri district. The jawan, who was on leave, and his family were assaulted, and his house, tractor and bike were set on fire. Similar violence was unleashed against BSF jawan Sushant Burman in Cooch Behar. Burman was attacked and looted by TMC workers, simply because his brother was a BJP supporter. His family members had to flee home to save their lives. 6. TMC hooligans vandalised the ABVP office After the TMC swept the 2021 state assembly elections, TMC goons set out to settle scores with their political rivals. They attacked the office of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Kolkata. Over 20 goons from TMC stormed into the ABVP Office, attacking ABVP workers, including the National Joint Secretary of ABVP. The TMC workers are said to have vandalised several idols of deities and thought leaders alike. The ABVP said that the attack was pre-planned, as more than 150 bikes of TMC goons were circling the ABVP office several times. 7. Sunil Baksi attacked In another case of post-poll violence, the house of Sunil Baksi, a booth worker of the BJP, was attacked by a Muslim mob in July 2021. The mob entered his house, destroyed furniture and other items, molested the women and even threatened to rape his wife. Around 15 houses were set on fire, as per the complaint. Following the incident, they fled the village. When Baksi approached the Police, he was threatened that the consequences would be much worse if he chose to file a complaint. The Police also tried to have them write that the houses were burnt due to lightning, the complaint says. Earlier, on May 3, 2021, Baksi was attacked by goons associated with the Trinamool Congress. He said that he was hit on the head but was eventually saved by his brother. When he approached the police to make a complaint, they declined to register his complaint and instead filed cases against him. Sunil Baksi had filed a complaint with the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) as well. 8. BJP worker Joy Prakash Yadav killed in crude bomb attack In the TMC-sponsored post-poll violence, a 28-year-old BJP worker named Joy Prakash Yadav was murdered during a crude bomb attack in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal in July 2021. Joy Prakash Yadav had a heated argument with the two men before he was killed after a crude bomb hit his head. Before his murder, one of the men could be heard as saying, “Forget police…. You are doing too much BJP, BJP… leave it.” The incident was recorded on camera by Yadav’s 17-year-old niece, Swapna. During the deadly attack on the victim, his mother, Rajmati Devi, also suffered from hearing loss. 9. BJP workers converted to Islam and went missing In another case of targeting of BJP workers in West Bengal, two BJP leaders were supposedly given a ‘punishment’ for supporting the BJP by forcefully converting them to Islam. Subsequently, the two BJP leaders, who were brothers, went missing. A petition was filed before the Calcutta High Court by their wives who wanted to know their husbands’ whereabouts. The Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the CBI and NIA after serious lapses in the investigation were detected in a case. The petitioners told the High Court that their husbands went missing and were not traceable. After that, they filed two complaints, first at the Mothabari Police Station and subsequently to the Kaliachak Police Station. They said that one complaint was filed, which was received by the police station; however, it was torn up by a ‘civic volunteer’, who informed the petitioners that their husbands had converted to Islam. 10. BJP worker Anil Barman found mysteriously hanging from a tree in Cooch Behar The body of a BJP worker was found mysteriously hanging from a tree in Sitai in Adabari in the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal on May 30, 2021. His dead body was spotted by locals in a garden, which is located near his residence. The BJP accused the ruling Trinamool Congress dispensation of murdering its party worker. The party informed that Anil Barman was on the hitlist of the TMC during the time of elections. It also claimed that the TMC hoodlums had earlier vandalised the deceased’s house. 11. BJP supporter Kush Khetrapal killed by TMC goons 26-year-old Kush Khetrapal, who was a BJP supporter, went missing on May 5, 2021. His dead body was found lying near the Baishtam pond, behind a Ganesha idol, two days later, on May 8, 2021. As per the FIR, there were various stab marks on his body. His brother, Srikanta Khetrapal, said that he was killed by TMC goons, who took him to their Raibhagini party office before killing him. Srikanta stated that Kush worked at a hotel and was frequently approached by TMC members Kanan Khetrapal, Sukumar Khetrapal, and Dilip Khetrapal on his way back home from work. They had warned Kush of grave repercussions if he did not join TMC. 12. TMC goons attacked BJP worker Rajib Pally’s house Soon after the state assembly elections were declared, some TMC goons hurled bombs at BJP worker Rajib Pally’s house in Howrah. They looted cash and jewellery from the victim’s house and also allegedly molested the women members of the house. 13. Woman BJP Chandana Haldar beaten to death by TMC workers BJP worker Chandana Haldar was beaten to death by TMC goons on July 2, 2021, in West Bengal’s South 24 Paragana district. Haldar was a resident of Ramchandarpur Village, which falls under the Satgachhia Vidhan Sabha constituency of West Bengal. Speaking to OpIndia, her husband Gautam Haldar said that he and his wife were BJP workers. On the day of the incident, TMC goons first attacked his cousin, Swarup Haldar. When he and his wife came to save him, they were also brutally beaten, and his wife died as a result. 14. BJP booth president Raja Samonto beaten to death In another incident of TMC-enabled post-pill violence, a BJP booth president, Raja Samonto, was brutally beaten to death at Sadhurghat village in South 24 Parganas’ Diamond Harbour on 29th May. 15. BJP worker Dhiren Barman murdered by TMC members After the state assembly results, Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal, informed on X (formerly) that a BJP supporter, Dhiren Barman (34), belonging to the SC Rajbangshi of Sitalkuchi Assembly, was brutally murdered by TMC goons. Condemning the attack on BJP workers, Adhikari criticised Mamata Banerjee for providing tactical support to the TMC goons. 16. BJP activist Prosenjit Das commits suicide due to torture by TMC goons In another horrible incident, a BJP worker, Prosenjit Das, committed suicide after facing mental and physical harassment by some TMC members. His family said that TMC goons had beaten him twice and threatened him with dire consequences. Mentally traumatised, Das, a resident of Harijan Palli in the Gopalpur area in Rajarhat, could not handle the pressure and decided to commit suicide. 17. BJP Nirmal Mandal worker Nirmal Mandal beaten to death In yet another similar incident, a BJP worker named Nirmal Mandal was beaten to death by his political rivals in Sonarpur North Assembly constituency. The mother of the deceased BJP worker said that the local councillor, Shampa Chakraborty, instead of penalising the accused, rebuked them for not being able to take care of their son. 18. BJP worker Ghanshyam Rana first shot and then brutally stabbed outside his own house A similar case of an attack on a BJP worker came to light in Khanakul in Arambagh town, Hooghly. Victim Ghanshyam Rana was first shot, then brutally stabbed outside his own house. He was rushed to the hospital in extremely critical condition. The BJP accused TMC goons of killing Rana. 19. Arindam Midya hanged to death by TMC goons A young BJP supporter named Arindam Midya was hanged to death by Islamist supporters of West Bengal’s ruling dispensation after the state assembly election results. Midya was a resident of Panchkoli village, falling in the Falta assembly constituency in Diamond Harbour. 20. BJP worker Dharma Mandal, attacked by the TMC goons, died On May 14, 2021, a BJP worker named Dharma Mandal was mercilessly attacked by the TMC goons at his own house in Nadia district of West Bengal. He was hospitalised after being critically injured by the TMC cadres, but succumbed to his injuries in a Kolkata hospital on May 16, 2021. 21. BJP worker Manoj Jaiswal found murdered On the same day, another BJP activist named Manoj Jaiswal of Nalhati Assembly Constituency under Bhirbhum district was found murdered. The BJP alleged that Jaiswal was murdered by the TMC goons. 22. Twin murder of BJP supporters in West Bengal The West Bengal BJP accused TMC goons of murdering two of its karyakartas in Uttar Lakshmipur, Malda. According to BJP Bengal, the deceased has been identified as Manoj Mandal and Chaitanya Mandal. The gruesome image shared by the BJP shows that the two workers were hanged from a tree, tied together with a rope. Despite the widespread TMC-sponsored violence, senior TMC leaders denied it, accusing the BJP of spreading falsehoods. Mamata Banerjee, however, eventually acknowledged the violence and promised compensation to the victims’ families. 23. BJP worker Arup Ruidas killed and hanged from a tree In yet another case of political killings, a BJP worker named Arup Ruidas was killed and hanged from a tree in Bankura district. According to the reports, Arup Ruidas, who was a booth agent from the Indus Assembly of West Bengal, had allegedly been murdered by TMC workers. 24. BJP worker Debabrata Maity brutally killed in the post-poll violence On May 3, 2021, a BJP worker named Debabrata Maity was brutally attacked by TMC goons in the post-poll violence. Maity, who hailed from Nandigram, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being attacked by Trinamool Congress hoodlums, where he succumbed to his injuries on May 13, 2021. 25. Gaurav Sarkar killed by TMC hoodlums Similarly, a BJP worker named Gaurav Sarkar from Bolpur, in Birbhum district in West Bengal, also fell prey to the post-poll violence in the state. 26. BJP karyakarta Manik Mondal killed in Sitalkuchi In a similar incident, BJP karyakarta Manik Mondal was killed in post-poll violence in the Sitalkuchi Legislative Assembly in West Bengal. The incident happened in the first week of May, 2021, soon after the assembly results were announced. 27. 80-year-old mother of BJP worker killed while trying to save her son from TMC goons In another incident, an eighty-year-old lady, namely Sova Rani Mondal, mother of Jagaddal BJP worker Kamal Mondal, was killed while trying to save her son from the TMC cadres. The TMC goons were beating up Kamal Mandal and his wife for being affiliated with the BJP when his mother intervened to save her son. She was injured in the ensuing scuffle and later succumbed to her injuries. 28. BJP Karyakarta Uttam Ghosh murdered in post-poll violence One Uttam Ghosh, a BJP Karyakarta, was murdered by TMC workers at midnight on May 2, 2021, at Gangnapur, Ranaghat. 29. BJP worker Horom Adhikari brutally murdered in West Bengal post-poll violence Horom Adhikari was a BJP supporter, employed in the South 24 Parganas district of Sonarpur Dakshin. He was brutally murdered in the post-poll violence. 30. BJP’s Momik Moitra was brutally killed by TMC goons after the counting of votes A BJP karyakarta named Momik Moitra was brutally killed by TMC goons after the counting of votes on May 2, 2021. The incident occurred in the Sitalkuchi Legislative Assembly of Cooch Behar district, where a mob had attacked the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) during the fourth phase of elections in West Bengal after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee asked her followers to gherao the central forces. 31. BJP supporters, Chandan Roy and Haradhon Ray, murdered by TMC workers BJP supporters, Chandan Roy and Haradhon Ray, were murdered by TMC workers at Chooch Behar and Dinhata respectively,, after the poll results were announced in West Bengal on May 2, 2021. 32. BJP worker Mintu Burman beaten to death by TMC goons in West Bengal In another incident of political violence, a BJP worker named Mintu Burman was beaten to death by TMC goons in Cooch Behar. Mintu Burman was hurriedly taken to the hospital, where he died during treatment. 33. Girl gangraped by TMC goons in front of her father A young Ritu (name changed) was subjected to horrendous violence and sexual abuse by TMC goons, in front of her helpless father, after the state assembly results were announced in West Bengal. On May 2, 2021, as Ritu and her father, who were BJP supporters, were preparing to leave their house, anticipating a possible attack by TMC goons, a group of Muslim men barged into their house. They mercilessly beat her father and then gangraped her in front of her father. She narrated her harrowing ordeal and alleged lack of support and action by the police while speaking to OpIndia. 34. A 60-year-old woman gangraped by TMC goons in front of her grandson In another such incident, a 60-year-old woman was brutally raped in front of her six-year-old grandson. The victim said that after the results were declared, TMC workers forcefully entered her house and raped her. The incident happened on the intervening night of May 4 and 5, 2021, just two days after the election results were declared. The TMC workers also allegedly robbed her of the valuables. 35. Woman BJP supporter dodged a rape attempt as her husband was killed in front of her On May 14, 2021, Purnima Mondal and her husband, Dharama Mondal, who had campaigned for the BJP, were identified and assaulted with axes. Purnima was made to witness the assault on her husband and brother-in-law, while she was disrobed, grabbed and faced a rape attempt. She said that the mob was led by a local elected representative, Kalu Shaikh. Her husband succumbed to his injuries on May 16, 2021. 36. A teenage girl gangraped by TMC members On May 9, 2021, a 17-year-old minor girl from the Scheduled Caste community was gang-raped by TMC workers and left to die in a jungle. The next day, a TMC leader, Bahadur SK, went to her house and threatened her family members against not lodging a complaint. He threatened that he would burn their house and kill them if they did. 37. RSS worker Balaram Majhi, 22-year-old RSS worker Balaram Majhi was mercilessly beaten by TMC goons at his house in Sripur village in the Ketugram Tehsil in East Bardhaman district after the state assembly elections results. Manjhi succumbed to injuries later that day. 38. Exodus of BJP workers due to TMC violence As the TMC registered a sweeping victory in the 2021 assembly elections, several BJP workers and their families left their houses in West Bengal and moved to the neighbouring state of Assam, fearing violence from TMC cadres. Around 300-400 people entered the Dhubri district in Assam from North Bengal by crossing the border. The BJP supporters and their families were sheltered in refugee camps. Several BJP leaders visited these camps and distributed relief material and food essentials. The Assam government provided temporary aid to the party workers in Dhubri. The government also set up a centre for COVID-19 testing as the unfortunate exodus took place amidst the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. 39. Houses of BJP workers vandalised In another incident, bombs were hurled at the residence of a BJP worker in the Kankinara area of Bhatpara after the 2021 West Bengal assembly election results. Raj Biswas, a BJP worker, said three people hurled bombs at his home. In a separate incident, TMC party workers attacked Jadavpur BJP candidate Rinku Naskar’s house. The TMC goons entered the house of the BJP candidate to vandalise following her defeat in the elections. 40. A BJP worker forced out of West Bengal, his property vandalised In another incident, a BJP worker, Ganesh Ghosh, was forced to leave the state after the 2021 assembly election results in West Bengal. He was forced to flee West Bengal along with his family members after the Trinamool Congress goons wrought havoc at his resort. The miscreants attacked Ghosh’s resort in Shakuntala village in Khoai Haat in Shantinektan. The resort is located just 5 minutes away from the Vishwa Bharati University. With TMC’s consistent track record of post-poll violence in West Bengal, it remains to be seen whether the post-election scenario in the state will be any different this time, both in terms of poll results and the resultant political environment.