Beldanga unrest reaches Calcutta HC, judge allows filing of PILs; Hearing likely tomorrow

The recent unrest in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, has reached the Calcutta High Court, where permission to file two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) was granted on Monday. The Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice Sujay Pal, allowed one petition on behalf of local residents and another filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The court indicated that the hearing may take place as early as Tuesday.

The petitioners have cited the serious law-and-order situation following the Beldanga incident, alleging that local administration has struggled to contain the unrest. They have requested directions for the deployment of central security forces, drawing parallels to the earlier Shamsherganj unrest in Murshidabad, when central forces were deployed on court orders.

The Chief Justice’s Division Bench observed that the matter needs to be examined with urgency and seriousness, granting the petitions permission to be filed. Authorities may be asked to provide a detailed report on the current situation in Beldanga, and the court may issue directions for stricter measures to ensure public safety.

Since the Beldanga incident, an atmosphere of fear has prevailed, with opposition parties highlighting that the law-and-order situation has yet to fully stabilise. Increased police activity has not allayed concerns over citizen safety, prompting legal intervention through the High Court.