A TMC worker was hacked to death during an illegal kangaroo court in Malda, West Bengal. The incident exposes police inaction and rising political violence.
Brajesh Mishra
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker, Ekramul Sheikh, was hacked to death on November 27, 2025, during an illegal "kangaroo court" (salishi sabha) in the Rajnagar area of Malda, West Bengal. The attack occurred after a dispute over farmland tractor usage escalated into a vigilante trial convened by a local panchayat member. When the accused, TMC booth president Samsul Sheikh, was ordered to perform humiliating sit-ups as punishment, he allegedly attacked Ekramul with a sharp weapon, killing him instantly and injuring five others. This marks the fourth high-profile political murder in Malda this year, signaling a dangerous breakdown in law and order ahead of the 2026 elections.
Malda district has become a hotbed of political violence, with a history of factionalism and weak policing. Earlier this year, TMC district vice-president Dulal Sarkar and worker Ataul Haque were gunned down in separate incidents linked to internal party feuds. The Ekramul killing follows a familiar pattern where police inaction forces citizens into extra-legal arbitration. In this case, the victim's family claims police refused to register an initial complaint about the land dispute, directly leading to the convening of the fatal kangaroo court.
While the headlines report a "murder," the deeper story is the "Institutionalized Vigilantism." The rise of salishi sabhas isn't just a rural tradition; it's a symptom of a vacuum left by the state. When police refuse to file FIRs or mediate disputes, citizens create parallel justice systems that are unregulated, violent, and often controlled by local strongmen. This incident proves that in parts of Bengal, the rule of law has been effectively privatized. The tragedy isn't just the death of one man; it's the normalization of a system where a "court" in a madrasa has more authority than the police station next door.
This killing escalates the narrative of "lawlessness" that the opposition BJP will weaponize for the 2026 elections. It exposes deep fractures within the TMC, where local leaders are settling scores with machetes rather than dialogue. For the residents of Malda, it reinforces a climate of fear where seeking justice can be a death sentence. Unless the state government cracks down on these illegal courts and restores faith in the police, such "vigilante justice" will likely claim more lives.
The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)
If the police won't register a complaint and the courts are too slow, where does a citizen go for justice without risking their life?
What happened in the Malda kangaroo court incident?
On November 27, 2025, TMC worker Ekramul Sheikh was hacked to death by TMC booth president Samsul Sheikh during an illegal arbitration meeting (salishi sabha) in Rajnagar, Malda. The violence erupted after Samsul was ordered to perform a humiliating punishment.
What is a "salishi sabha" or kangaroo court?
It is an informal, illegal court convened by local strongmen or panchayat members to settle disputes outside the legal system. In West Bengal, these courts often enforce arbitrary punishments and operate due to a lack of faith in or access to the police.
Why did the police not prevent the murder?
The victim's family claims they approached the police about the initial land dispute, but no formal complaint was registered. Critics argue this police inaction forced the parties to seek "justice" in the illegal kangaroo court, leading to the tragedy.
How many political murders have occurred in Malda in 2025?
At least four prominent political figures, including TMC leaders Dulal Sarkar and Ataul Haque, have been murdered in Malda in 2025, highlighting severe intra-party factionalism and lawlessness.
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