Malda’s Kaliachak area witnessed a violent clash between two Trinamul Congress factions on Tuesday, resulting in a deadly shootout in broad daylight. The incident claimed the life of Hasu Sheikh, a TMC worker, and left two others critically injured, reigniting fears of political rivalry in the region.
This comes just 13 days after senior TMC leader Dulal Sarkar was shot dead in Malda town, further highlighting escalating tensions in the district.
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According to locals, the Bakul-Zakir rivalry has resurfaced in Nauda Jadupur in Kaliachak police station limits. Political sources revealed that the shootout at Salepur Mominpara was a violent altercation between factions led by TMC leaders Bakul Sheikh and Zakir Sheikh. Hasu Sheikh, a resident of Sukdebpur and part of the Bakul faction, was shot dead, allegedly by members of Zakir Sheikh’s group.
Bakul Sheikh, the TMC president of Naoda Jadupur, and his brother Esaruddin alias Raju, a former pradhan of the Naoda Jadupur panchayat, sustained critical injuries in the attack. Both are undergoing treatment at Malda Medical College Hospital.
The incident has triggered widespread panic and unrest in Salepur Mominpara. A large police force from Kaliachak police station was deployed to the area, which brought the situation under control.
Reacting to the incident, Malda TMC district president Abdur Rahim Boxi accused the opposition, particularly the Congress, of inciting violence ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. “The Congress is behind this incident, using miscreants to create instability,” he alleged, while denying that Zakir Sheikh is associated with the TMC, branding him a Congress leader instead.
Chief whip of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Shankar Ghosh, criticised the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. “The Centre must intervene under such circumstances,” he demanded, highlighting the need for immediate action to restore public confidence.
The incident has once again put the spotlight on political factionalism and lawlessness in the state, raising questions about governance and security in the run-up to the elections, Dr Ghosh said.
