In the quiet hamlets of Sitalkuchi, in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, the air usually carries the scent of damp earth and ripening paddy. But as the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal draw near, a different atmosphere has settled over the village of Jorepatki. It is the sterile, sharp scent of starch from camouflage uniforms. And that brings back the ghost of Jorepatki's past.

On April 10, 2021, four young men were killed in firing by CISF personnel at a polling booth during the fourth phase of the 2021 Assembly elections. The houses of the four victims don’t have a single photo of them, a conscious choice taken by their families to try and minimise theirsuffering. As Bengal prepares to vote again, the bereaved families still await justice.

The Telegraph Online met Afsar Ali Mia, his eyes reflecting a weariness that transcends the upcoming political cycle. His son, Samiul Haque, was just 20, a B.A. graduate with a promising future in IT, when he was shot dead. When asked if the presence of central forces ahead of the elections scares him, he said, "Now there is no fear. I have already lost what I could lose. No one can return my son." Afsar is not alone...