Kaliganj, June 23: A nine-year-old girl was killed in an alleged bomb attack by armed Trinamool Congress supporters in Molandi village of Kaliganj on Monday, hours before the final results of the assembly by-election were announced. The attack, believed to be politically motivated, was allegedly aimed at punishing her family for supporting the CPI(M) and not voting for the ruling party.
Tamanna Khatun, a Class IV student, was planting a flower sapling in the courtyard of her home around 11 a.m. when a group of miscreants reportedly stormed the premises and hurled a socket bomb, which struck her in the chest and killed her instantly. Her mother, Sabina Khatun, who was beside her at the time, sustained splinter injuries. The family alleged that the attackers were led by Gawal Sheikh, a local Trinamool booth committee president, and his aides.
The attack took place shortly after the ninth round of counting, which showed Trinamool candidate Alifa Ahmed leading by over 25,000 votes. She ultimately won the bypoll by a margin of over 49,000 votes in a three-cornered contest. According to local sources, the accused, emboldened by the likely victory, began a celebratory rally and entered Molandi, a known CPI(M) stronghold, hurling bombs at homes of rival supporters. Residents claimed over a dozen crude bombs were thrown in the village before Tamanna’s house was targeted.
Tamanna was the daughter of a migrant labourer working in Odisha. Her family, long-time CPI(M) supporters, alleged that the attack was deliberate and intended to terrorize those who did not vote for the ruling party. “All those who came and killed my daughter with a bomb were supporters of Mamata Didi’s party… They were angry with us because we didn’t vote for them,” Sabina said.
The explosive used was a socket bomb—a crude device made from steel pipe packed with gunpowder and metal shards. Police have launched an investigation and arrested one person, Adar Ali Sheikh, a relative of the main accused Gawal Sheikh, who is currently absconding.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern and offered condolences. In a post on X, she wrote: “I am shocked and deeply saddened at the death of a young girl in an explosion at Baro-Chandghar in Krishnanagar police district. My prayers and thoughts are with the family in their hour of grief. Police shall take strong and decisive legal action against the culprits at the earliest.”
CPI(M) leaders have denounced the incident as a premeditated political attack, not a case of overzealous celebration. “There was no celebration. It was a planned assault on political opponents, and tragically, it killed an innocent girl,” said CPI(M) Nadia district secretary Meghlal Sheikh. A party delegation visited the village in the afternoon and helped the family file an FIR naming 24 suspects. Later, DYFI leader Minakshi Mukherjee led a protest march to the local police outpost, demanding immediate arrests.
Superintendent of Police Amarnath K confirmed that an investigation was underway. “We have identified the suspects and one person has been arrested. Preliminary findings suggest fallout of local political rivalry,” he said.
Political violence is not new to the region. In 2023, a senior police officer was critically injured in a similar bomb attack while trying to quell unrest in the area.
The incident has sparked statewide outrage. Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar demanded the cancellation of Alifa Ahmed’s victory certificate and ₹25 lakh in compensation for the victim’s family. “The Election Commission has failed to ensure a terror-free poll. This horrific incident must set a precedent—cancel the certificate and punish the winning candidate,” Sarkar said.
BJP candidate Ashis Ghosh echoed the concern, blaming Trinamool for the violence. “This is not an isolated case. The state has become a stockyard of bombs. Since the election was announced, Trinamool-backed miscreants have been threatening voters. That’s why the turnout was low—not just because of the rain,” he said.
Trinamool candidate Alifa Ahmed, however, dismissed the allegations. “The death of the girl is deeply unfortunate. But this appears to be an isolated incident. The administration should investigate whether there was any conspiracy to disrupt our victory celebrations,” she said.
Meanwhile, State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has sought a detailed report from the Nadia district administration. Speaking to the media in Kolkata, he said, “This is a very unfortunate incident. We had no prior information that such a victory procession would take place. The district authorities are responsible for granting permission. We have asked them for a full report.”