West Bengal school staffer assaulted over TC denial in Malda, principal accused
Synopsis
A TC denial at a Malda school snowballed into a physical assault on a female staffer, with allegations of molestation, student incitement, and mid-day meal corruption all pointed at the acting principal. With a viral video, rival political claims, and a counter-allegation from the accused, this case has every ingredient of institutional breakdown — and police are only just beginning to untangle it.
Key Takeaways
A female non-teaching staffer at Jagdala High School , Bamangola , Malda , was allegedly assaulted by students on Friday, 22 August over a transfer certificate dispute.
She filed a complaint at Bamangola police station on Saturday, accusing acting principal Amit Halder of instigating the attack.
The woman also alleged prior molestation and harassment by Halder, as well as corruption in the school's mid-day meal scheme.
Halder denied all allegations, claiming the woman slapped him first and that he was later assaulted at a hospital by the woman and her husband.
BJP condemned the incident and called for action; local TMC leader demanded an impartial investigation.
A video purportedly showing the assault has gone viral on social media; police investigation is ongoing.
A female non-teaching staff member at Jagdala High School in Bamangola, Malda district, West Bengal, was allegedly assaulted by a group of students on Friday, 22 August after she refused to issue a transfer certificate (TC) to a former student — a dispute that has since spiralled into allegations of molestation, corruption, and political interference. The woman lodged a formal complaint at Bamangola police station on Saturday, naming the school's acting principal and two teachers.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to the woman's complaint, the dispute began over a clerical discrepancy: the former student's name was incorrectly recorded in school records, which she cited as grounds for withholding the TC. She alleged that the argument escalated when students entered the staff room and physically attacked her. She reportedly retaliated and allegedly assaulted some students in return.
The woman further alleged that acting principal Amit Halder had instigated and incited the students to assault her. A video purportedly showing the incident circulated on social media, drawing wider attention to the case.
Allegations Against the Acting Principal
The woman's complaint goes beyond the TC dispute. She alleged that Halder had previously pressured her to do 'immoral things' and subjected her to harassment. She had earlier accused him of molestation and making inappropriate suggestions.
'The acting principal tried to force me to do immoral things before. They have laid hands on me. They have also made the students beat me up,' she alleged. She also named teachers Nani Roy and Biman Pal in her complaint and raised broader allegations of corruption at the school, including alleged irregularities in the mid-day meal scheme.
Acting Principal Denies All Charges
Halder, who has worked at the school for 18 years and has been acting principal for two years, rejected every allegation as 'completely baseless.' He claimed the woman 'does not do any work properly' and that during the TC dispute, she 'abused me in foul language' before slapping him.
He also alleged that after police directed him to undergo a medical examination, the woman and her husband assaulted him at the hospital. 'After beating me, I was thrown out on the street,' he claimed. On the question of political influence, Halder said, 'This is an educational institution. Trinamool or BJP has nothing to do with it.'
Political Reactions
The incident drew responses from both major parties in the state. South Malda Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Biswajit Roy condemned the assault and called for accountability, adding that 'politics will not be tolerated in the school.' He also flagged the allegations of inappropriate conduct toward the woman.
Local All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Biswajit Ghosh called for an impartial probe and said whoever was found guilty should be 'severely punished,' while maintaining that the party had no role in the incident. The woman, however, alleged that the acting principal and others wielded influence through their TMC connections, which she claimed had shielded them from accountability.
Investigation Under Way
Police have received the formal complaint and the matter is under investigation. The case raises questions about staff safety in government schools and the mechanisms — or lack thereof — for addressing institutional misconduct in West Bengal's education system. How authorities respond to the overlapping allegations of assault, molestation, and corruption will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
Particularly women, when accountability structures are weak or politically compromised. The woman's allegation that TMC-linked influence shielded the accused mirrors a pattern seen across states where ruling-party proximity insulates school administrators from oversight. What makes this case harder to resolve is the counter-allegation: the accused principal claims he was the one assaulted, at a hospital no less, complicating the evidentiary picture. West Bengal's school administration needs an independent inquiry mechanism that operates outside local political networks — without one, cases like this tend to collapse into a he-said-she-said standoff, and the underlying misconduct goes unaddressed.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Jagdala High School in Malda?
A female non-teaching staff member at Jagdala High School in Bamangola, Malda district, was allegedly assaulted by students on 22 August after she refused to issue a transfer certificate to a former student due to a name discrepancy in school records. She filed a police complaint the following day, accusing acting principal Amit Halder of instigating the attack.
Who is Amit Halder and what are the allegations against him?
Amit Halder is the acting principal of Jagdala High School, with 18 years at the institution and two years in the acting principal role. The complainant has accused him of instigating students to assault her, prior molestation, inappropriate suggestions, and exerting pressure to engage in 'immoral things.' Halder has denied all allegations.
Why was the transfer certificate denied?
The staffer refused to issue the transfer certificate because the former student's name was incorrectly recorded in the school's official records. She maintained this was a procedural requirement, while the acting principal and students reportedly pressed for the TC to be issued regardless.
What other allegations has the woman raised?
Beyond the assault, the woman has alleged irregularities in the school's mid-day meal scheme and broader corruption. She also named two teachers, Nani Roy and Biman Pal, in her complaint, and alleged that the acting principal's alleged political connections with the Trinamool Congress had previously shielded him from accountability.
What has been the political response to the incident?
The BJP condemned the incident and called for police action, while also flagging the allegations of inappropriate conduct. The local TMC leader called for an impartial investigation and said the guilty should be severely punished, but denied any party involvement. Police have registered the complaint and an investigation is under way.
