Kolkata, September 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet in connection with the 2023 Ram Navami violence in Hooghly district of West Bengal, naming Shakir Ali, husband of a former two-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member from Arambagh, as the alleged mastermind behind the unrest.
According to NIA officials, the chargesheet was filed on Wednesday and names 43 people as accused. The agency has alleged that Shakir Ali and his associates planned the violence surrounding Ram Navami processions in the district with the aim of gaining political advantage.
Ali, who served as a councillor of Ward No. 4 of Rishra Municipality, was arrested by the NIA in June this year in connection with the case. His residence was searched by agency officials for several hours before his arrest. He is currently out on bail.
Of the 43 accused named in the chargesheet, 20 were arrested by the state police and two by the NIA. The remaining 21 accused, including Ali, are also currently out on bail, according to the agency.
The NIA said its investigation found that police had recovered several swords in connection with the violence. The chargesheet also refers to the recovery of a large quantity of explosives and gunpowder from the residence of another accused, Kamran Qureshi, who was arrested by the agency.
Rishra witnessed violent clashes during Ram Navami processions in 2023, with incidents involving alleged bomb attacks, vandalism and arson triggering panic among residents.
The violence disrupted normal life in the area and forced the administration to impose restrictions for several days as authorities worked to restore law and order.
The NIA investigation is examining the planning, execution and alleged motives behind the violence and the roles of those named in the case.
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