A court in Murshidabad’s Jangipur on Monday found 13 persons guilty in the murders of Haragobinda Das, 72, and his son Chandan Das, 42, during the communal violence that broke out in the district’s Samserganj over the Waqf (Amendment) Act in April this year.

The judge of the fast-track court in Jangipur will pronounce the sentence on Tuesday, a little over eight months after the April 12 incident.

“All 13 persons chargesheeted by the police were found guilty by the court on Monday. The judge will announce the verdict tomorrow (Tuesday),” said a court source.

A source said all 13 convicts were local residents. Stringent police security was put in place at the Jangipur court premises on Monday. “Police arrangements will be robust on Tuesday, the day the sentence is pronounced,” said a police source.

A mob allegedly from the minority community, protesting against the amended waqf Act, had allegedly entered the Dhulian municipality area and attacked dozens of shops and houses belonging to Hindus. Family members said the father-son duo, who were at home, were killed by armed assailants.

The BJP highlighted the incident to showcase the plight of Hindus in Bengal.

Political observers believe that amid the recent violence in Bangladesh—where the brutal killing of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das has become a political flashpoint in Bengal—the court verdict in the Murshidabad father-son murder case could escalate political tensions ahead of next year’s 2026
state elections.

Following the Bangladesh violence over the death of Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi, the BJP began drawing parallels with Bengal, prompting strong counterattacks from Trinamool Congress leaders.

On Monday, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari participated in a protest march organised by several Hindutva outfits against Dipu’s murder. Although the march was scheduled to reach the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Calcutta, police stopped it around 200 metres away.

“The murder of Dipu Das is similar to the way Haragobinda Das and Chandan Das were killed in Murshidabad’s Samserganj. We want justice for Dipu Das as well as for the father-son duo,” Adhikari said, demanding capital punishment for those guilty in the Samserganj murders.

The Trinamool Congress leadership underscored the speedy trial as evidence of Bengal police’s efficient investigation and timely filing of the chargesheet.

“In the case of the Bangladesh violence, Suvendu Adhikari should protest before the Union ministry of external affairs (MEA), as the Narendra Modi government must send a strong message to Bangladesh to stop atrocities against minorities there,” said Trinamool spokesperson Arup Chakraborty.

The MEA on Sunday in a statement said that Indian officials were in touch with their Bangladeshi counterparts regarding the atrocities against minorities and had demanded justice for Dipu. On Sunday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was in Calcutta, said the Centre must take steps to address the torture of Hindus in Bangladesh.