Five more held in connection to CJP activist's father's death; Party delegates visit Bankura

On August 17, 2026, five more individuals were arrested in connection with the death of Abdul Hafiz, a 25-year-old CJP activist, whose father was brutally assaulted by local BJP workers in Bankura, West Bengal. This brings the total number of arrests to eight in the case. A delegation of CJP officials, including Ashutosh Ranka, Ankit Bharadwaj, Vijay Mallangi, and Sudhur Sangwan, visited Hafiz's residence on Monday morning.

The incident occurred on August 13, 2026, when Hafiz went to inspect a local government school as part of the party's "School Thik Karo" campaign. Later that night, an attack was launched on him when his father came to his aid, causing grievous injuries that led to his death in the hospital on August 15. The CJP officials blame the assault on BJP goons led by Nirmal Dhara, alleging threats against Hafiz since his return from a 36-day protest in Delhi.

However, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari dismissed these allegations, stating that the accused are criminals and the government will take necessary actions against them.