West Bengal police have seized a staggering Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold from the residence of absconding stone trader Tullu Mondal's manager and brother-in-law, Minar Mondal, in Birbhum district, leading to his arrest.
A devastating fire at a Kolkata hotel claimed nine lives, including a child and two women, in the early hours of Wednesday. Survivors recounted a terrifying experience, highlighting the absence of fire alarms and safety equipment, and the difficulty of escape due to dense smoke and a single exit. This incident follows another fatal hotel fire in Birbhum.
Police are investigating the mysterious death of Asish Banerjee, former deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly and a prominent TMC leader, who was found hanging in a party office with a purported suicide note expressing regret over entering politics and denying corruption.
Hotel officials claimed the fire was caused by a short circuit. A woman from Kolkata, who managed to escape the blaze, recalled the panic inside the hotel.
The death of former West Bengal assembly deputy speaker and veteran Trinamool Congress leader Ashis Banerjee on Sunday triggered a political blame game, with the rival factions within the party and the Bharatiya Janata Party trading allegations over the circumstances surrounding the 74-year-old leader's death.
Several police officers were injured in Birbhum, West Bengal, after a clash erupted following an incident involving an earthmover near a graveyard. Fourteen arrests have been made.
A 70-year-old tribal woman was allegedly murdered in West Bengal's Birbhum district after being accused of witchcraft. Police have arrested five people in connection with the crime.
Clashes erupted between locals and security personnel in West Bengal's Birbhum district after allegations of EVM malfunctioning triggered tension during the first phase of the state assembly elections.
Ten days after the expansion of the BJP government's cabinet in West Bengal, key portfolios have been allocated, with senior leader Tapas Roy taking charge of industries and journalist-turned-politician Swapan Dasgupta appointed finance minister.
A significant parliamentary revolt within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has emerged, with purported signatures of 19 MPs on a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking recognition as a separate bloc under Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and extending support to the BJP-led NDA.
A BJP and a Trinamool Congress worker were killed in separate incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal on Tuesday, police said.
Thirty-five BJP MLAs were sworn in as ministers as part of an expansion of the Suvendu Adhikari-led cabinet in West Bengal. The oath-taking ceremony took place weeks after Adhikari was sworn in as chief minister.
Out of the 294 West Bengal Assembly seats, 152 will go to the polls in the first phase on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during an election rally in Birbhum, West Bengal, accusing the party of lawlessness, corruption, and enabling infiltration. He referenced the Bagtui carnage and alleged the TMC has failed to protect local jobs and resources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, accusing them of lawlessness, corruption, and enabling illegal infiltration. He promised to initiate a special inquiry against facilitators of infiltration and to deport unauthorised entrants if the BJP comes to power in the state.
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses political rivals of being BJP agents and promises to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens in West Bengal. He also criticises the BJP's poll promises and highlights the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of misusing democratic institutions and stoking communal discord in Bengal, criticising their 'double engine' governance model.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, attacking Mamata Banerjee's TMC and promising development if the BJP wins the state elections. He accused Banerjee of appeasement politics and vowed to prevent the construction of a Babri Masjid-like structure in Bengal.
The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed rallies in Birbhum, West Bengal, promising to tackle corruption and infiltration if the BJP wins the upcoming elections. He criticised the TMC government and outlined welfare schemes for women, youth, and farmers.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising to tackle corruption and illegal immigration if the BJP comes to power. He criticised the current TMC government and outlined the BJP's plans for the state.
The BJP has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her a 'symbol of anarchy' after the Supreme Court questioned her actions during an ED search. The party claims her 'jungle raj' will end with the TMC's defeat in the upcoming assembly polls.
Voting has commenced for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote in 152 constituencies in Bengal and 5.73 crore voters in Tamil Nadu. Security measures are heightened to ensure free and fair polling.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the TMC, alleging corruption and 'mafia rule' have created an 'identity crisis' in West Bengal. He urged voters to support the BJP in the upcoming elections, promising a 'double-engine' government for development.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising to resolve the Gorkha issue constitutionally and offering a development package for north Bengal if the BJP is voted to power.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserts the BJP will form a government in West Bengal and address the issue of infiltration, accusing Mamata Banerjee of allowing it for vote-bank politics.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the ruling TMC in West Bengal, alleging corruption, extortion, and the rise of 'mafia rule' have led to an 'identity crisis' in the state.
In a significant move before the West Bengal assembly elections, the Election Commission has ordered a major reshuffle of the state's police force, transferring 19 senior officers to ensure fair and secure elections.
The alliance between Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and AIMIM in West Bengal has collapsed following allegations of a multi-crore deal with the BJP, leading to AIMIM's withdrawal and both parties planning to contest the elections independently.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami rallies in West Bengal, alleging the party is disrupting the state's tradition of communal harmony.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami rallies in West Bengal, alleging the party is disrupting the state's tradition of communal harmony. He also criticised the BJP's governance record and promises in other states.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami rallies in West Bengal, alleging the party uses the festival to create unrest and division.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized over 500 kg of ganja worth 2.6 crore and arrested two peddlers in Assam's Karbi Anglong district. The drugs were being transported from Manipur to West Bengal.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 524.9 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 2.6 crore in Assam and arrested two individuals as part of increased operations before the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a new unemployment allowance of Rs 1,500 per month for young job seekers in the state, starting March 7. The announcement comes ahead of the assembly elections and aims to support unemployed youth aged 21-40 who have passed their secondary exams.
