RondaWaddell840 at 08:10, 14 December 2025

2025-12-14T08:10:49Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| partof =
| title = 2022 Birbhum violence
| location = Bagtui, [[Birbhum district]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|24.16436500380788|87.7913638172454|display=it|format=dms}}
| date = {{start date|2022|03|21}}
| time = 21:00
| timezone = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]] ([[UTC+05:30]])
| fatalities = 9 Muslims ([https://www.indiatoday.in/fact-check/story/fact-check-victims-birbhum-violence-hindu-tribals-muslims-1929205-2022-03-24])
| type = [[mass murder]], [[political violence]], [[arson attack]]
| victims = 1.Jahanara Bibi (Doli), 38;
2.Lili Khatun, 18;
3.Sheli Bibi, 32;
4.Nurnehar Bibi, 52;
5.Rupali Bibi, 39;
6.Kazi Sajidur Rahaman, 22;
7.Tuli Khatun, 7;
8. Mina Bibi, 40
https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/birbhum-eight-charred-to-death-in-suspected-retaliation-to-tmc-leaders-murder/cid/1857148
| accused = Lalan sheikh, Later died in CBI custody
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/birbhum-violence-key-accused-ends-life-in-cbi-custody-kin-allege-murder-8321023/
| motive = Revenge for killing of local Trinamool leader
| map = {{Location map|India West Bengal#India|relief=1|lat_deg=24.16436500380788|lon_deg=87.7913638172454}}
}}

The '''2022 Birbhum violence''', also called the '''Bogtui massacre''', happened in the village of Baktai (Bagtui, Bogtui) in [[Rampurhat]], [[Birbhum]], [[India]] in the aftermath of the death of Trinamool deputy chief Bhadu Sheikh. At least four houses were set on fire. 10 people were reported killed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-01 |title=Toll in Bengal's Birbhum massacre rises to 10; woman dies in hospital |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/toll-in-bengal-s-birbhum-massacre-rises-to-10-woman-dies-in-hospital-101651411031451.html |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
{{Short description|Massacre in Rampurhat, West Bengal, India}}

==Background==
During the evening of 21 March 2022. Bhadu Sheikh, the upapradhan (deputy leader) of Barshal [[gram panchayat]] (village council), was attacked by a group of men, who threw a homemade bomb at him, resulting in heavy injury. He was taken to the local health clinic and later the Rampurhat hospital where he was declared dead.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/trinamul-leaders-murder-in-birbhum-sparks-violence-arson/cid/1857070|title=Trinamul leader's murder in Birbhum sparks violence, arson|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref>

==Casualties==
At least ten houses were set on fire. 8 dead bodies were found, six women and two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/six-women-two-children-burnt-to-death-in-bengals-birbhum-after-trinamool-leaders-murder/article65248532.ece|title=Six women, two children burnt to death in Bengal's Birbhum after Trinamool leader's murder|first=Shiv Sahay|last=Singh|work=The Hindu |date=March 22, 2022|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> Seven burned bodies were recovered from one house alone. One person who had been injured later died of burn injuries at a hospital in [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]].{{cn|date=September 2024}}

==Investigation==
Following the incident, [[Government of West Bengal]] has created [[Special Investigation Team|SIT]] under ADG CID Gyanwant Singh, DIG (Western Range) Sanjay Singh and DIG CID (Operations) Miraj Khalid to investigate the incident. State director general of police Manoj Malviya is also enacted in this case.<ref name="auto2"/>

On 12 December, the CBI has officially announced the death in custody of the main accused perpetrator, Lalon Sheikh, by suicide (hanging) at their camp in Rampurhat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/birbhum-violence-accused-dies-by-suicide-in-probe-agency-cbis-custody-3600493|title=Bengal Violence Accused Allegedly Dies By Suicide In CBI Custody|website=ndtv.com|publisher=NDTV News|first=Saurav|last=Gupta|date=13 December 2022|access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref>

==Reactions==
The ruling party [[Trinamool Congress]] alleged that the "incident was a part of a greater conspiracy to tarnish the image of the State and the State government". Chief Minister [[Mamata Banerjee]] sent Minister [[Firhad Hakim]] and local MLA and deputy Speaker Ashish Banerjee to the trouble spot.

Opposition parties like [[CPI(M)]], [[BJP]] and [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] protested against the murder. CPI(M) state secretary [[Mohammed Salim (politician)|Mohammad Salim]] described the SIT set up by the government as "suppression of investigation and truth".<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/six-women-and-two-children-burnt-to-death-in-violence-in-bengals-birbhum-district-following-the-killing-of-a-panchayat-deputy-pradhan/article38460269.ece|title=Six women and two children burnt to death in violence in Bengal's Birbhum district following the killing of a panchayat deputy pradhan|first=Suhrid Sankar|last=Chattopadhyay|website=Frontline|date=22 March 2022 }}</ref> He also said that the incident in Rampurhat was linked to the victory of the sole CPM councillor from Ward 17 in the Rampurhat municipality which went to polls in February 2022. In response to the incident and while obstructed from raising the issue to Legislative Assembly, BJP legislators staged a walkout on the floor of the House.<ref name="auto2"/> BJP MLAs requested the Governor to urge the Centre to intervene here and invoke either Article 365 or 355 and consider a [[National Investigation Agency|NIA]] probe into the matter.<ref name="auto"/> Bengal Congress Unit [[Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury]] wrote to the President of India requesting him to invoke [[President's rule|Article 355]] of the Indian Constitution “in view of the deteriorating law & order situation in West Bengal" and has called [[Mamata Banerjee]]-led [[Trinamool Congress|TMC]] rule as "Danav Raj"(Monster Rule).<ref>{{Cite web |title="Danav Raj": Congress Leader Slams Mamata Banerjee Over Bengal Killings |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bengal-violence-birbhum-violence-danav-raj-congress-leader-adhir-ranjan-chowdhury-slams-mamata-banerjee-over-bengal-killings-2841000 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

[[National Human Rights Commission of India|National Human Rights Commission]] (NHRC) took [[wiktionary:Suo motu|suo motu]] cognisance of the violence and has directed the state government to submit detailed report regarding the violence in four weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=R |first=Senjo M. |title=NHRC notice to WB govt, DGP over Birbhum killings; seeks report in 4 weeks |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/nhrc-notice-to-wb-govt-dgp-over-birbhum-killings-seeks-report-in-4-weeks/20220324.htm |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=Rediff |language=en}}</ref>

Governor of West Bengal [[Jagdeep Dhankhar|Jagdeep Dhankar]] condemned the killings.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Birbhum killings: West Bengal Governor slams CM for 'diversionary tactics', says attempts being made to shield guilty |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/birbhum-killings-west-bengal-governor-slams-cm-for-diversionary-tactics-says-attempts-being-made-to-shield-guilty/articleshow/90395675.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2022-03-25}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birbhum violence, 2022}}
[[Category:2022 murders in India]]
[[Category:Massacres in 2022]]
[[Category:Trinamool Congress]]
[[Category:March 2022 in India]]
[[Category:March 2022 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:2020s in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Massacres in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Residential building arson attacks in India]]
[[Category:Arson in 2022]]
[[Category:2022 fires in Asia]]
[[Category:Birbhum district|2022 violence]]
[[Category:21st-century mass murders in India]]
[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2022]]
[[Category:Politico-Religious violence in West Bengal]]

2022 Birbhum violence - Revision history

RondaWaddell840 at 08:10, 14 December 2025