The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern over recurring incidents of violence and unrest in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, particularly in Beldanga, and directed the police and civil administration to take all necessary steps to maintain law and order. The court also gave the state government the liberty to requisition central forces if the situation so demands.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen was hearing two public interest litigations (PILs) seeking deployment of central forces in Beldanga in light of last week’s violent protests. The bench directed the Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate of Murshidabad to act promptly and prevent any further escalation.
The PILs were filed in response to violent incidents on January 16 and 17, when protests erupted over alleged attacks on migrant workers from West Bengal in neighbouring states. On January 16, demonstrators blocked National Highway 12—a vital route connecting South and North Bengal—for around six hours following reports of the death of a migrant worker from Beldanga in Jharkhand. The next day, road and rail traffic were again disrupted amid claims of a Murshidabad-resident worker being heckled in Bihar.
Police managed to regain control of the situation by Saturday afternoon through intensified patrolling, route marches, and enhanced deployment in sensitive areas.
The division bench noted that the central government may consider initiating a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), depending on reports submitted by the state. One of the petitioners specifically urged the court to order an NIA investigation into the violence, raising questions over the initial failure to contain the situation despite prolonged disruptions on a major national highway.
The court has asked both the Centre and the West Bengal government to submit affidavits clarifying their stance on the reliefs sought by the petitioners. “The life and livelihood of local residents must be ensured,” the bench underscored.
This isn’t the first time that the high court has intervened in law and order concerns in the region. In April 2025, the court had ordered deployment of central forces in Murshidabad following communal unrest during protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, which had led to the death of at least two persons.
The matter will now proceed based on the affidavits to be filed by both governments. Meanwhile, the high court’s direction has made it clear that peace and security in the volatile region cannot be compromised, and that state authorities must take proactive steps—either independently or with the aid of central forces—to prevent further flare-ups.
