2021 Post-Poll Violence, Birbhum Massacre, RG Kar: Suvendu Brings Bengal's Big Cases Back In Focus
2021 Post-Poll Violence, Birbhum Massacre, RG Kar: Suvendu Brings Bengal's Big Cases Back In Focus Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 11:48 IST According
2021 Post-Poll Violence, Birbhum Massacre, RG Kar: Suvendu Brings Bengal's Big Cases Back In Focus Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 11:48 IST According to reports, police have launched 458 fresh inquiries, registered 181 new FIRs, and reopened 59 previously closed cases related to the 2021 violence Rapid Read Suvendu Adhikari, Mamata Banerjee (PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal has begun reopening several high-profile cases dating back to the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration, saying the exercise is aimed at correcting alleged investigative lapses and restoring public confidence in the justice system. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has described the move as a shift from the “law of the ruler" to the “rule of law", arguing that police action under the previous government was influenced by political affiliations. The BJP had repeatedly promised before the Assembly elections that, if voted to power, it would revisit controversial cases that it alleged had either been diluted or deliberately buried. The government’s first major step has been a comprehensive review of violence linked to the 2021 Assembly elections, in which the TMC secured a sweeping victory. The Home Department directed all district police chiefs and commissioners to scrutinise past investigations, reopen cases where investigators found procedural or evidentiary deficiencies, and register fresh FIRs if preliminary inquiries revealed cognisable offences that had not been acted upon. According to reports, police have launched 458 fresh inquiries, registered 181 new FIRs, and reopened 59 previously closed cases related to the 2021 violence. Birbhum district alone accounts for around 170 newly registered cases, covering allegations ranging from murder and attempted murder to assault and criminal intimidation. Police have also made over 175 arrests in connection with the post-poll violence and initiated action in more than 100 illegal mining-related cases in the district. The renewed focus also extends to the 2022 Bogtui massacre in Birbhum, where several women and children were burnt alive after houses were set on fire following the murder of a local TMC leader. Investigators recently arrested an absconding accused, Rohan Sheikh alias Kismot Sheikh, giving fresh momentum to the case. Another politically sensitive investigation reopened by the new government is the 2025 death of 13-year-old Tamanna Khatun in Nadia district. Tamanna died after a bomb exploded during a TMC victory procession following a bypoll. While the earlier investigation had described the incident as a clash between rival local groups, the BJP maintained that it was a politically motivated attack targeting a family that supported the CPI(M). Following a fresh review, West Bengal Police arrested 13 additional accused from Haryana and Maharashtra and replaced the Special Public Prosecutor handling the case.
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