Kaliganj poll violence: Chargesheet filed against 24 in minor girl's killing
Synopsis
More than a year after a minor girl was killed in a crude bomb blast during West Bengal bypoll celebrations, police have filed a supplementary chargesheet against 24 accused — this time adding Arms Act provisions that were missing from the original filing under the previous TMC government. With 23 of the accused in judicial custody and a senior prosecutor now appointed, the case is moving toward trial under a changed political dispensation.
Key Takeaways
Krishnanagar District Police filed a supplementary chargesheet against 24 individuals on 22 July in the killing of minor Tamanna Khatun in Kaliganj.
Tamanna was killed in a crude bomb blast on 23 June last year, during a victory procession following the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll result.
The supplementary chargesheet adds Arms Act provisions absent from the original filing under the previous government.
23 of the 24 accused are in judicial custody; one has been granted bail by the Calcutta High Court .
All are reportedly active TMC workers .
Bivas Chattopadhyay has been appointed public prosecutor, and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reportedly met the victim's mother last month to assure justice.
Tamanna's mother, Sabina Iyasmin Sheikh , contested the recent West Bengal Assembly polls as a CPI-M candidate from Kaliganj but lost to TMC's Alifa Ahmed .
Krishnanagar District Police in Nadia district, West Bengal, on Wednesday, 22 July filed a supplementary chargesheet against 24 individuals accused in the killing of minor girl Tamanna Khatun during post-poll violence in Kaliganj in June last year. The chargesheet was submitted before a district court in Nadia and includes provisions under the Arms Act that were absent from the earlier filing.
What Happened on 23 June Last Year
Tamanna Khatun, a schoolgirl from Molandi village in Kaliganj, was killed on 23 June when crude bombs were allegedly hurled at her family's residence during a victory procession. The violence followed the announcement of bypoll results for the Kaliganj Assembly constituency, which recorded a landslide win for the then All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Alifa Ahmed. Tamanna's family were supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M]. She was killed on the spot, according to police.
What the Supplementary Chargesheet Adds
An official from the Krishnanagar District Police stated that the original chargesheet — filed during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government — had not included provisions under the Arms Act. The supplementary chargesheet rectifies this omission. Of the 24 accused, 23 are currently in judicial custody, while one has been granted bail by the Calcutta High Court. All 24 are reportedly active TMC workers from the area where the incident occurred.
Political Developments Since the Incident
The family of the deceased has expressed satisfaction over the new development. They attributed the recent police action to the intervention of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who reportedly met Tamanna's mother, Sabina Iyasmin Sheikh, last month and assured her of all possible steps to secure justice. The state government has also appointed Bivas Chattopadhyay as the public prosecutor in the matter, citing his track record in securing speedy convictions in similar cases.
A Family at the Centre of Political Conflict
Tamanna's mother, Sabina Iyasmin Sheikh, contested the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections as a CPI-M candidate from Kaliganj but was defeated by TMC's Alifa Ahmed, who won the seat for a second consecutive term. The case has drawn attention to the broader pattern of post-poll violence in West Bengal, where electoral victories have repeatedly been followed by reported attacks on opposition supporters. This supplementary chargesheet signals a renewed push by the current administration to pursue accountability in such incidents.
Point of View
And critics will note that the accused are all reportedly TMC workers. The current BJP-led administration's intervention, including the Chief Minister's personal visit to the victim's family, carries clear political optics. Whether the prosecution delivers a conviction or becomes another stalled case in Bengal's long history of post-poll violence impunity will be the real measure of accountability here.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Tamanna Khatun and how was she killed?
Tamanna Khatun was a schoolgirl from Molandi village in Kaliganj, Nadia district, West Bengal. She was killed on 23 June last year when crude bombs were allegedly hurled at her family's home during a victory procession following the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll result, which was won by TMC's Alifa Ahmed.
What does the supplementary chargesheet add to the original case?
The supplementary chargesheet, filed on 22 July before a district court in Nadia, includes provisions under the Arms Act that were not part of the original chargesheet filed during the previous TMC government. Police confirmed this omission was rectified in the new filing.
Who are the 24 accused in the Tamanna Khatun case?
All 24 accused are reportedly active Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers from the Kaliganj area. Of them, 23 are currently in judicial custody and one has been granted bail by the Calcutta High Court.
What role did Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari play in the case?
According to the victim's family, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met Tamanna's mother, Sabina Iyasmin Sheikh, last month and assured her of all possible action to ensure justice. The family credited this intervention with prompting the recent police action.
What happened to Tamanna's mother in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections?
Sabina Iyasmin Sheikh, Tamanna's mother, contested the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections as a CPI-M candidate from Kaliganj but was defeated by TMC's Alifa Ahmed, who won the seat for a second consecutive term.
