Murshidabad Lynching Convicts Get Life Term, Victim’s Family Seek Death Penalty

Aftermath of Murshidabad protests in April | File Image

A fast-track court in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Tuesday sentenced all 13 convicts to life imprisonment in the lynching of a father and son in Murshidabad’s Jafarabad earlier this year.

The verdict was delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-I) Amitabh Mukherjee at the Jangipur court.

The case pertains to the killing of Hargobind Das and his son Chandan Das, who were attacked at their residence on April 12 amid violent protests in the district.

While the police termed the verdict as swift justice delivered within eight months, the victims’ family expressed strong dissatisfaction, demanding capital punishment for the convicts.

Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said the family would challenge the sentence in higher courts, with the party extending legal support.

Addressing a press conference, Adhikari said the punishment did not match the brutality of the crime and questioned why the death penalty was not awarded.

Murshidabad Lynching Case

The double murder took place in Jafarabad under the Samserganj police station limits during a period of widespread unrest in Murshidabad. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), along with local police, arrested 13 accused in connection with the case.

The trial, which lasted 253 days, culminated in the conviction of all the accused, with the court awarding life imprisonment to each of them.

Police Findings

According to the police, all 13 convicts were local residents, setting the case apart from other violence-related incidents in Murshidabad, where outsiders were allegedly involved.

ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar said the investigation established that the crime stemmed from local enmity, including a property dispute, and that only the Das family was targeted during the unrest.

He added that forensic tools such as DNA analysis and gait examination played a crucial role in securing the convictions.

Public Prosecutor Bibhas Chatterjee described the verdict as a landmark moment, calling it the first successful conviction in a mob lynching case in the state.

He said the prosecution had worked intensively over the past eight months to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.

Family Seeks Capital Punishment

Parul Das, the wife of Hargobind Das and mother of Chandan Das, said the family was disappointed with the life sentences and would pursue the matter further, seeking the death penalty for the convicts.

Suvendu Adhikari echoed the demand, alleging administrative failure and asserting that the BJP would stand by the family in their legal battle in the High Court and the Supreme Court.

The killings occurred during violent protests in April, when several incidents of arson and attacks were reported in Murshidabad district. The Jafarabad lynching of the father and son emerged as one of the most brutal episodes during that period of unrest.