‘False claim’, ‘Minor injury’: West Bengal Police denies brutal assault of CJP activist’s deceased father
CJP officials and Sheikh Abdul Hafiz stated that he had been intimidated by some goons backed by the local BJP MLA Nirmal Dhara, since he returned from the CJP’s protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar
On August 17, 2026, the West Bengal Police dismissed allegations of a brutal assault on the father of a CJP activist following his death. The deceased, Janab Malik, had reportedly suffered only "minor injuries" which required a single stitch, according to the police. This denial came after a delegation of CJP leaders, including Ashutosh Ranka, visited the deceased's son Sheikh Abdul Hafiz's residence in Bankura district's Indus area.
The activists demanded the arrest of the 10 unnamed accused within ten days, and eight individuals were arrested by Sunday, with all remanded to police custody for eight days. On August 13, a group of assailants reportedly attacked Mr. Hafiz's father, Rik, following his visit to a primary school in Indus for the CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign.
Mr. Malik passed away on August 15 due to severe blood pressure fluctuations, after which baseless claims about his death began circulating. Police have launched a manhunt for the two remaining suspects, and a police house guard has been stationed at Mr. Hafiz's residence. CJP officials and Hafiz claim they have faced intimidation from goons linked to local BJP MLA Nirmal Dhara, who called Hafiz a 'Pakistani terrorist'.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke assured justice for Mr. Hafiz's father, while CJP co-convener Ranka urged for an independent investigation into the Indus Police Station's involvement. Ranka also called for action against the closure of at least 8,000 schools, including 200 in Bankura district.
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