In 2025, a Bomb Blast at a TMC Victory Rally Killed a Nine-Year-Old. Now Her Family is Being Hounded.

Molandi (West Bengal): Even at noon, West Bengal's Molandi feels like a village holding its breath. The heavy silence is broken only by the occasional rattle of a toto-rickshaw navigating the fractured roads. While fields stretch toward the horizon, the village itself feels empty. Most households belong to migrant workers, with the men away in distant cities, returning only for festivals or the high-stakes friction of election season.

At the edge of this quiet settlement sits a small house that serves as a grim monument to the region's political volatility. A heavy tarpaulin sheet is lashed across the entrance, acting as a permanent curtain against the outside world. 

A police constable and two civic volunteers maintain a 24-hour vigil under the unblinking gaze of two CCTV cameras. About 100 metres away, a temporary police outpost operates, not to patrol the village broadly, but to guard one family whose nine-year-old daughter, Tamanna Khatun, was killed in a blast from a crude bomb on the day of the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll result on June 23, 2025.

Inside, migrant worker Hossein Sheikh nurses his wife, Sabina Sheikh. She has been shattered since the day the victory procession for Trinamool Congress turned into a death march for their child.

The family’s account of that afternoon is chilling. Tamanna, a Class IV student, was under a mango tree in her courtyard, planting a sapling in a tub.

Sabina Sheikh looks on as a little girl plays near the tree where Tamanna was killed. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.

Sabina recalls the moment the celebration reached their gate, “We were thrown away by the impact of the bomb. We saw familiar Trinamool workers. Kalu said, ‘This is Hossein’s daughter, we will kill her.’ Shariful was saying, ‘Don’t kill her.’ They suddenly threw a bomb at Tamanna, killed her, and left to attack those families in the village who opposed them.”

The psychological toll of the tragedy culminated on a Tuesday night in late December. Sabina attempted to take her own life by ingesting nearly a dozen antidepressants and sleeping pills. Personnel from the Molandi police outpost rushed her to the Plassey Rural Health Centre and later the Nadia District Hospital.

Hossein says, “After that, we took her to Shaktinagar district hospital in Krishnanagar, but the doctors remained withdrawn. So we were forced to bring her to Kolkata and admit her at Students Health Home.”

The family alleges Sabina was driven to the brink because the main accused is still at large. He has allegedly threatened to wipe out the entire family unless the complaint is withdrawn. 

In July, nearly a month after Tamanna’s killing, police, allegedly led by officers from the Mira and Molandi outposts, carried out a midnight raid in her village. In statements submitted to the Superintendent of Police and human rights groups, residents claimed officers entered homes without warrants. Complaints further alleged baton assaults on women and children, including two minors, Ziya Khatun and Sajina Khatun, along with grave accusations of sexual misconduct such as molestation and vulgar remarks. Villagers also said that Id Mohammad Sheikh and Saddam Hossain, both of whom had participated in protests demanding justice for Tamanna, were arrested during the operation, fuelling concerns that demonstrators were being targeted.

A poster saying 'Return Tamanna or else give us justice' put up by the West Bengal Migrant Workers Union. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.

Following the political uproar, a police outpost was opened in Molandi and a charge sheet was filed in September. Despite these steps, locals say fear continues to dominate daily life in the village.

“So far, the police have arrested 11 people in connection with Tamanna’s murder. The main accused have still not been arrested. The family is being indirectly pressured and intimidated to withdraw the complaint, which is why we are pressing for a second chargesheet,” claimed Shamim Ahmed, the lawyer appearing for Tamanna’s family. 

Among those arrested are the local Trinamool booth committee president, Gawal Sheikh, and four of his relatives. 

The village is divided by fear and anger. Residents claim that those who stood by the family are being intimidated by the ruling party using police force. 

Neighbour Nazrul Islam says, “I don’t know how long the police can protect them, because the main culprits are not being caught as they are influential. Now they are spreading propaganda that even if you kill one person or kill three, the punishment is the same. If we do not withdraw the cases against them, they will kill Hossein and Sabina too!”

“The police arrested 14 people from among us, who were protesting the murder. The allegation against us was that in another district, we cut people’s throats. The villagers who protested spent 42 days in jail... we understand everything, but the law is in the ruling party’s fist. What can we do?” alleged Haksad Sheikh.

The courtyard of Tamanna Khatun's house. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.

Dissatisfied with the Nadia police investigation, Tamanna’s family approached the Calcutta high court seeking a CBI probe, arguing their safety remained at risk while key accused were free. Court records from January 2026 show the petition faced procedural delays, including defects in identity masking and documentation. The family says these hurdles have added to their psychological burden and sense of obstruction in the pursuit of justice.

Sabina remains defiant. She says, “They are offering a lot of money, and along with that they are threatening to kill us if we oppose them. They have taken away our child, we will not be sold!”

For Sabina, recovery is physical but not emotional. She searches for Tamanna in the chrysanthemums the child planted.

“Four of my children died in the womb or after birth. Then Tamanna came, bringing happiness. She was our dream,” Sabina shares.

In Molandi, the day ends early. Silence takes over again.

And under the mango tree, flowers bloom carrying a fragrance a mother believes still holds her child.

If you know someone – a friend or a family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation maintains a list of telephone numbers they can call to speak in confidence. Icall, a counselling service run by TISS, has maintained a crowdsourced list of therapists across the country. You could also take them to the nearest hospital.

Translated from the original Bengali and with inputs by Aparna Bhattacharya.

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