Bengal CJP volunteer’s father dies after attack over school infra ‘expose’

Abhijeet Dipke said the CJP would not be silenced and intimidated. (Credits: X/@Cockroachisback)

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants responsible for the alleged assault that led to the death of Janab Malik, the father of CJP volunteer Shaik Abdul Hafeez, in West Bengal’s Bankura district.

Hafeez and his family were allegedly attacked earlier this week after they visited a government school in his village in the Karisunda area to assess it as part of the CJP’s ongoing ‘School Thik Karo’ (improve the schools) campaign. Mafik died Saturday from severe head injuries sustained during the alleged attack, the CJP said in a statement.

The CJP announced Sunday that a CJP National Working Committee delegation, led by co-convener Ashutosh Ranka, will visit West Bengal on Monday to stand in solidarity with Hafeez, and to demand justice for the alleged killing of his father.

In a social media post, CJP founder and national convener Abhijeet Dipke alleged that the volunteer’s family was attacked by “goons allegedly from the BJP”.

“It makes my blood boil that people are being murdered simply for demanding better schools. CJP stands firmly with Abdul and his family. We demand the immediate arrest of those responsible for his father’s death… We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. We will keep fighting for better schools,” he posted on X.

The incident

According to Hafeez, on August 13, he visited the local government school in his village in the Karisunda area to assess the condition of the school’s infrastructure as part of the CJP’s nationwide campaign.

He alleged that later that evening, armed individuals, whom he identified as alleged “local BJP karyakartas”, allegedly forcibly entered his house and demanded that he record a video statement apologising for highlighting the school’s conditions while claiming that he had done so under external influence. When Hafeez refused to comply, the miscreants allegedly attacked him. Hafeez sustained a severe neck injury, while his father, Janab Mafik, who had intervened to save his son, suffered a critical blunt-force trauma to the head. His father succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

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Speaking to the media, Hafeez said, “All of them were from the local BJP. They got angry that they could not assault me and so assaulted my father. Police arrived and we rushed my father to the hospital, but many BJP workers had surrounded the hospital and were not allowing us to leave as they thought that I would go to the police station to file a complaint… While we were returning home from the hospital, the assailants again surrounded us in a dark area and assaulted us for the second time. They took my mobile phone and deleted all the videos from social media.”

Condemning the incident in a statement, the CJP alleged that no medico-legal case was initiated and no FIR was registered following the initial attack.

“CJP strongly condemns what it describes as a serious institutional failure and calls for an impartial investigation into the alleged violence, the circumstances surrounding the death of Janab Mafik, and the alleged failure to initiate due legal proceedings,” it said.

Political row erupts

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed no BJP workers were involved in the incident, while vowing strict action against those responsible for the alleged assault.

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The CM told mediapersons, “The FIR states miscreants had attacked; nowhere it is said BJP workers… Out of five, three persons have already been arrested. Investigation is on, two remaining will also be arrested. House guards have been put outside their house. The government will take strong action… I have heard that five more have been detained, too.”

Regarding the CJP’s planned visit to Bankura on Monday, Adhikari said, “They can protest in Bankura, we welcome them. It is a democratic country…”

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MLA from the Mamata-led faction, Kunal Ghosh said, “We condemn this incident, and this threat culture should be stopped.”

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience  Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

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