Days after the brutal killing of a Hindu father-son duo, Harogobindo Das (70) and his son Chandan Das (40), by a Muslim mob during violent protests against the Waqf Amendment Act in Shamserganj, Murshidabad, the grieving family faced yet another blow. The traditional post-death ritual, shradh, could not be performed in its complete form as both the purohit and naapit (barber) refused to attend the ceremony, citing serious security concerns.
According to a report, the shradh ceremony was scheduled for April 17. However, the family’s request for priestly services was repeatedly declined. “We had asked a purohit, but he said he couldn’t come because it is a security issue,” said Chitradeep Das, a close relative of the deceased.
Bapon Das, the nephew of Harogobindo, shared the distressing sequence of events. “We arranged another purohit from Basudevpur, about 5 km away, but he too expressed his inability to travel here due to lack of security. I had to go to his house myself and bring Gangajal to perform the rites.”
Traditionally, the presence of a purohit and naapit is crucial for performing shradh, a sacred Hindu ritual meant to offer prayers and food to the souls of the departed. However, as reported by media, the family had to conduct the rites without either — a deeply distressing and unprecedented situation driven by fear.
“The fact that no one wants to come to the shradh of the two people who were killed during the Waqf violence, out of fear for their own lives, is a stark reflection of the environment in the area,” the Aaj Tak Bangla report observed.
The tragic incident occurred on April 11, when Muslim mobs launched violent protests in Murshidabad, a Muslim-majority district, in opposition to the newly enacted Waqf Amendment Act. What began as a protest after Jumma Namaz quickly spiralled into targeted communal violence.
As per reports, the attacks began around 2 p.m. and saw Hindu homes, shops, and temples being vandalised and set on fire. The violence extended into the next day, forcing thousands of Hindus to flee their homes, with many reportedly crossing over to the neighbouring Malda district via boats.
Harogobindo and Chandan Das were reportedly dragged out of their home and lynched by a mob. Three individuals — Kalu Nawab, Dildar Nawab, and Inzmam Ul Haque — have been arrested in connection with the murders. Locals allege that the attack on the Das family was not random but a part of coordinated assaults on Hindu families perceived as supporting the Waqf reforms.
Even a week after the incident, fear continues to grip the region. Hindu families remain displaced, while those who have stayed back are afraid to carry out basic religious and cultural rites. The absence of essential service providers like priests and barbers is not just a symbolic loss but a sign of the breakdown of communal trust in the region.
Meanwhile, political and civil society groups have raised serious concerns over the state’s handling of the situation, accusing the administration of inaction and silence.
As the family of Harogobindo and Chandan Das tries to come to terms with their loss, they have now also been denied the spiritual closure that shradh offers — a painful reminder of the deeply polarised and volatile ground reality in parts of West Bengal.
