13 get life for lynching of father-son in Bengal during protests over Waqf Act

Tue, 23 December 2025

23:17

A court in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday sentenced 13 people to life imprisonment for the lynching of a man and his son during the protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Special public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee said this is the country's second conviction in a mob lynching case and first in West Bengal.

The fast-track court in Jangipur directed the state to give Rs 15 lakh compensation to the family of the victims.

Haragobinda Das (72) and his son Chandan Das (42) were killed by a mob at their house in Jafrabad in the Samserganj police station area on April 12.

Chatterjee said the prosecution had prayed for capital punishment for the convicts, maintaining that the crime falls in the rarest of rare category.

He said the state government will decide whether it will appeal against the judgment before the Calcutta high court.

The court had convicted these 13 accused on Monday.

Each of the 13 convicts was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for dacoity, 10 years of imprisonment for house trespass and a five-year term for rioting.

All the sentences will run concurrently, the court said. -- PTI

TOP STORIES

LIVE! Mumbai civic polls: Nirupam seeks 90-100 seats for Sena

2 killed, 38 cops among 45 hurt in Assam's Karbi Anglong

The body of a 25-year-old specially abled youth, Suresh Dey, was recovered from a building that was set ablaze by the agitators while another person, identified as Athik Timung, was killed during the clash, a police officer said.

Uddhav Sena, MNS to declare tie-up for BMC polls tomorrow

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are expected to announce an alliance for the upcoming Mumbai civic elections. The announcement is expected to be made at a press conference on Wednesday.

AIADMK, BJP begin preliminary talks for 2026 TN polls

NDA constituents AIADMK and BJP have started preliminary discussions for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Key leaders from both parties met to discuss strategies to defeat the DMK government and strengthen their alliance.

When will you return? HC asks Mallya on fugitive tag pleas

The HC posed the question to the 70-year-old liquor baron, wanted in India to face trial on fraud and money laundering charges, on his return home while hearing his twin pleas.