The father of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) volunteer Sheikh Abdul Hafiz, Sheikh Mohammad Mafik, died after allegedly being assaulted at his home in Bankura, West Bengal, on August 13. Hafiz had visited Karisunda Primary School that day as part of the CJP’s ‘School Theek Karo’ initiative, which involves documenting the condition of government schools.
According to Hafiz and reports, a group of assailants later entered his family’s home and attacked him and his father with sticks, iron rods and other weapons, allegedly forcing Hafiz to delete videos from his phone. Hafiz escaped, while his father suffered serious injuries and later died at Burdwan Medical College. Police have registered a murder case following a complaint by Mafik’s wife and arrested eight people, three of whom have been named in the FIR.
The accused were produced before a district court. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka alleged that BJP workers were responsible, while the BJP has denied any connection to the incident and called for an investigation. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has also denied a BJP connection and said strict action should be taken against anyone found responsible.
Attack After School Audit
The incident reportedly began after Hafiz visited the school he had once attended in Karisunda village on August 13 as part of the CJP’s ‘School Theek Karo’ campaign. The initiative seeks to document shortcomings in government schools, including infrastructure and educational facilities. Hafiz reportedly recorded videos of the school before returning home.
Later that evening, a group of men allegedly surrounded the family’s house and attacked Hafiz. He reportedly managed to flee, after which the attackers allegedly turned on his ageing father, Mohammad Mafik. Hafiz has said that the attackers seized his phone and forced the family to delete videos recorded at the school and during the CJP’s earlier protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. He also alleged that his father was beaten with weapons and sustained serious head injuries requiring medical treatment.
Mafik was subsequently taken for treatment, but his condition deteriorated. He died at Burdwan Medical College on August 15, two days after the alleged assault. The death transformed the case from an alleged assault into a murder investigation, with police registering a case following a complaint by Mafik’s wife. Eight people have since been arrested and produced before a district court.
Political Allegations & Investigation
The incident has triggered a political dispute over who was behind the attack. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka alleged that BJP workers attacked Hafiz because of his participation in the school audit. He condemned the killing and said CJP representatives would visit the bereaved family and pursue legal action. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has also backed Hafiz and demanded that those responsible be arrested.
The BJP, however, has rejected the allegation. Bengal BJP leaders have said that the party has no connection with the incident and that any individual found involved should face legal action. BJP spokesperson Keya Ghosh had earlier questioned the political motive behind the school audit and said that if BJP workers were named in a police complaint, strict action should follow.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has also denied any BJP involvement, saying there was “no BJP connection” to the case and that strict action should be taken against those found responsible. Meanwhile, Bankura Superintendent of Police V.G. Satish Pasumarthi said police would take necessary legal action as the complaint was received and the investigation progressed.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
A disagreement over a government school, a social audit or political affiliation can never justify violence, much less the death of a family member. The allegations against BJP workers must be established through a fair and impartial investigation, just as any claims made by political groups must be examined against evidence rather than accepted as fact. What matters now is that the investigation remains transparent, the accused receive due process, and the bereaved family gets justice.
Public scrutiny of schools and governance is legitimate in a democracy, but it must be protected through institutions and dialogue, not answered with intimidation or violence. At a time when political disagreements are increasingly spilling into personal hostility, how can citizens and political organisations ensure that accountability does not come at the cost of peace and human dignity?
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We are very concerned for Abdul. His father has died at the hands of goons who allegedly belong to the BJP. What was his crime? That he planned on conducting a social audit of his local government school. Abdul, entire CJP family is with you. We will not rest until those goons… https://t.co/STc6vFB4sy
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) August 16, 2026
