Following the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, in the first week of April, Muslims have been protesting against the newly enacted law across the country, including in West Bengal (here, here, and here). According to news reports (here, here), on 11 April 2025, these protests turned violent in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, resulting in Violence and riots. Reports (here, here, and here) indicate that three people lost their lives in the violence: two Hindus, Chandan Das and Hargobind Das, were killed in a mob attack, while a Muslim man died in police firing. According to reports, hundreds of people (mostly Hindus) affected by the violence in Murshidabad district crossed the Bhagirathi River. They sought refuge in the adjoining Malda district (here, here, and here). On 12 April 2025, the Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces to restore peace and order in the district (here).
Amidst this, a post (here, here, here, here, and here) featuring a photo of a family of three individuals—apparently a mother, father, and child—has gone viral on social media platforms, with the claim that a Hindu family was brutally murdered by Rohingyas (Muslims) in their home in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: In April 2025, a Hindu family of three was brutally killed in Murshidabad, West Bengal, by Rohingya Muslims.
Fact: This incident, involving the murder of Bandhu Prakash Pal, his wife Beauty Mondal Pal, and their son Angan Bandhu Pal, actually took place in October 2019 and was linked to a monetary dispute. The accused, Utpal Behera, is not a Muslim and was convicted of the crime in August 2023, receiving a death sentence. According to reports, there was no involvement of Rohingyas or any communal angle in the murder. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A reverse image search of the viral photograph led us to a news report published by ‘ANI’ on 10 October 2019, which featured the same photo. According to the report, the incident occurred in the Jiyaganj area of Murshidabad, where three members of a family were found murdered. The victims were identified as Bandhu Prakash Pal, his wife Beauty Mondal Pal, and their son Angan Bandhu Pal. The matter came to light after neighbours discovered the bodies inside their home and alerted the police. All three were reportedly found lying in a pool of blood.
To gather more information about the incident, we conducted relevant keyword searches, which led us to multiple news reports (here, here, and here). According to these reports, the police arrested Pal’s former neighbour, Utpal Behara, in connection with the crime. The investigation revealed that the murders were committed due to a financial dispute related to an insurance policy.
According to a report published by ‘Jagran’ on 15 October 2019, Murshidabad Superintendent of Police S. Mukesh held a press conference in which he disclosed the details of the triple murder. The police stated that Utpal Behara, a mason by profession, had confessed to killing the teacher’s family.
As per the report, the deceased teacher was associated with several insurance companies, and Utpal had purchased an insurance policy through him. He had given ₹48,000 to the teacher to pay the premium. However, when Utpal later asked for the receipt, the teacher began to avoid him. Upon discovering that the premium had not been deposited, Utpal demanded a refund. The teacher allegedly humiliated him in public, prompting Utpal to plot revenge. On Vijayadashami (08 October 2019), Utpal went to the teacher’s house around noon and confronted him about the money, leading to an argument. Utpal then attacked and killed the teacher with a sharp weapon. When the teacher’s wife, Beauty Pal, recognised him, Utpal also killed her and their son, Angan, to eliminate any witnesses.
According to a report published by ‘The Indian Express’ on 25 August 2023, Behara was found guilty of the murders and was sentenced to death by a fast-track court in Berhampur (also spelt Berhampore). The judgment delivered by the Additional Sessions Judge of the Fast Track 3rd Court, Berhampore, Murshidabad, can be viewed here. From all this information, it is evident that the family seen in the viral photo was murdered by Utpal Behara, who is not a Muslim.
Earlier, in October 2019, the same incident and photograph had gone viral with claims suggesting a political motive behind the murders. Factly had written a fact-check article clarifying that there was no political angle to the incident, which can be seen here.
To sum it up, a 2019 triple murder in Murshidabad is being shared as a recent incident, with a communal narrative, in the context of the Murshidabad violence of April 2025.
