Bengal Burns: NH-12 Blocked as Migrant Death Sparks Riots

Fresh violence erupted in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad today, January 17, 2026, bringing National Highway 12 (the critical North-South Bengal connector) to a standstill for the second consecutive day. The unrest, triggered by the alleged lynching of a Bengali migrant worker in Jharkhand, intensified just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive rally in neighboring Malda, roughly 40km away.

While the PM coined his new slogan "Paltano Darkar" (Change is Needed), the ground reality in Murshidabad reflected a breakdown of order. Mobs blocked the Sealdah-Lalgola railway tracks and targeted vehicles, fueled by a fresh rumor today that a second migrant worker from the district had been beaten in Bihar. This comes just 24 hours after a television journalist was brutally assaulted by protesters on live TV.

The Context (How We Got Here)

• The Trigger: On January 15, the body of Alauddin Sheikh (36), a hawker from Beldanga, was found in Jharkhand. His family alleges he was beaten to death for being a "Bengali-speaking outsider," though police in Jharkhand (a JMM-ruled state) have not confirmed this motive.
• The Escalation: The anger has fused with an existing panic over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. Earlier this week, a mob allegedly led by a local leader vandalized a BDO office in Farakka, accusing officials of "harassing" minority voters under the guise of verification.
• The Media Assault: On January 16, Soma Maity, a journalist with Zee 24 Ghanta, was dragged by her hair and beaten by a mob while covering the blockade. The assault has become a flashpoint, with the Opposition citing it as proof of the state's "lawlessness."

The Reality Check

• The Rumor: "The journalist Soma Maity succumbed to her injuries."
• The Fact: False. Soma Maity sustained head and waist injuries and is currently hospitalized, but she is stable. She has given a statement to the police identifying her attackers.
• The Status: Recovering, but the assault has triggered a statewide media protest.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

• Abhishek Banerjee (The Strategist): The TMC General Secretary is walking a tightrope. He has blamed the violence on a "BJP conspiracy" to instigate riots before the election, accusing the Centre of failing to protect Bengali migrants in "BJP-ruled states"—a claim complicated by the fact that the death occurred in Jharkhand (ruled by the INDIA bloc ally JMM).
• Manirul Islam (The Instigator): The TMC MLA from Farakka is under the scanner for the "Second Front" of violence. He is accused of leading the mob that ransacked the Farakka BDO office earlier this week, channeling the widespread fear that the "SIR" process is a prelude to disenfranchisement.
• Narendra Modi (The Challenger): Speaking in Malda today, the PM directly referenced the violence, condemning the attack on the woman journalist as proof of the "Talibani mindset" growing under TMC's "Syndicate Raj."

The Social Pulse

• The Mood: Fear & Polarization. Residents in border districts are terrified of a 2019-style escalation.
• The Viral Take: "They beat a female journalist on live TV for doing her job. If the 'Fourth Pillar' isn't safe, who is? #MurshidabadHorror" — A trending sentiment on X, countering the TMC's narrative of "victimhood."

The BIGSTORY Reframe (The "Two-Front" War)

While media outlets are treating Beldanga (Migrant Death) and Farakka (Voter List) as separate incidents, they are likely a coordinated pincer movement.

• The Mechanism: The unrest creates a "Cycle of Fear." The migrant death reinforces the narrative that "Bengalis are unsafe outside," while the SIR violence reinforces the narrative that "Minorities are unsafe inside."
• The Jharkhand Paradox: The TMC's narrative faces a critical glitch. They are protesting the death of a worker in Jharkhand (an ally state) but framing it as a failure of the BJP. This contradiction suggests the outrage is being weaponized domestically for the 2026 Bengal polls, regardless of where the tragedy occurred.

Your Move

• For Commuters: Avoid National Highway 12 (NH-12) through Murshidabad tonight. The stretch between Beldanga and Berhampore is volatile.
• Alternate Route: If traveling from Kolkata to North Bengal, take the Rampurhat-Nalhati route (via Birbhum) to bypass the conflict zone.
• Safety: Do not film any protests on your mobile phone if you are passing through. The mob is specifically targeting anyone recording video.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

When the death of a poor worker in a neighboring state becomes fuel for burning a highway at home, who exactly is grieving, and who is campaigning?

FAQs

1. Why is there unrest in Murshidabad today (Jan 17, 2026)? Protests erupted in Beldanga over the alleged lynching of a migrant worker, Alauddin Sheikh, in Jharkhand. The anger has been compounded by rumors of a second attack in Bihar and separate tensions over the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) voter verification drive.

2. Is it safe to travel via NH-12 to North Bengal? No. Travelers are advised to avoid NH-12 through Murshidabad (specifically the Beldanga-Berhampore stretch) as intermittent blockades have paralyzed traffic. Use the alternate Rampurhat-Nalhati (Birbhum) route instead.

3. Who is the journalist assaulted in Murshidabad? Soma Maity, a reporter for the Bengali news channel Zee 24 Ghanta, was dragged by her hair and beaten by a mob while covering the blockade on January 16. She is currently hospitalized but stable.

4. What is the SIR protest in Farakka? Earlier this week, a mob allegedly led by local leaders vandalized the Block Development Office (BDO) in Farakka. They accused officials of harassing minority voters and deleting names during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, fearing disenfranchisement.

5. Did the migrant worker die in a BJP-ruled state? No. Alauddin Sheikh was found dead in Jharkhand, which is currently governed by the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance (part of the INDIA bloc), contradicting political claims that "BJP-ruled states" are unsafe for Bengali migrants.

Sources

News Coverage

• The Hindu: PM Modi condemns attack on woman journalist in Bengal; violence flares in Beldanga
• The Wire: Murshidabad Tense: Mob targets reporters as tension over migrant death enters Day Two
• Times of India: Beldanga turns battleground over worker's death in J'khand; NH-12 blocked

Context & Analysis

• The Federal: Massive protests in Bengal's Murshidabad after local migrant found dead in Jharkhand