Read how TMC goons in illegally occupied Aranyaj School which provided free education

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Read how TMC goons in illegally occupied Aranyaj School which provided free education


The power transformation in West Bengal is not limited to the state’s political corridors; its echo is being heard in remote villages where, for the past many years, the ‘jungle raj’ of the leaders of the ruling party had prevailed. On Wednesday (06 May 2026) morning, an unexpected visual emerged in Jharkhali of South 24 Parganas district, which revived the hope of justice in the state. A local school named Aranyaj School, which was under illegal occupation of the local TMC leaders for almost two years, was finally freed.

For the past month, during the election period, the administrators of Aranyaj School had been receiving continuous death threats from local TMC cadres. However, the school administrators persisted, and the school was freed, despite TMC candidate Neelima winning on the SC-reserved seat from the Sundarbans area, where this school is located.

A video circulating on social media shows locals, including children, unlocking the gate of the school that had been illegally occupied by local TMC leaders since July 2024. As soon as the gate of the school was unlocked, a wave of joy swept through the entire Parbatipur area. Children who had been deprived of education and a bright future for two years had tears of joy in their eyes and innocent smiles on their faces, which had been snatched away on the fateful morning of July 2024.

Speaking to OpIndia, Abhijit Mukherjee from the Aranyaj Group said, “Started by Amrita Bose Gupta in 2023, this free English medium school was a centre for the education of poor children and the empowerment of women. In July 2024, it was snatched away by local TMC leaders. Now, after two years, there is an atmosphere of celebration throughout Parbatipur as the school has been reopened.”

This is not just the liberation of a school building, but the victory of the idea of ​​education and social empowerment, which the TMC goons tried to trample under their feet.

The terrifying morning when humanity was shamed

The picture of that day, as revealed in the FIR filed by Amrita Bose Gupta, manager of Aranyaj School, and her statements, is enough to shock any civilised society. The school, located in Parbatipur, under the jurisdiction of the Jharkhali Coastal Police Station, opened in 2023 with the noble purpose of providing free English-medium education to poor children.

According to Amrita Bose, at around 7:30 a.m. on July 8, 2024, when people present on the school premises were still asleep, dozens of rioters, led by Jharkhali’s deputy headman, Dilip Mandal, attacked. The attackers first cut off the school’s electricity and cut the wires to the CCTV cameras to ensure there was no evidence of their misdeeds.

In her complaint, Amrita, who was present at the school campus, stated that she and her team were dragged out of their sleep. They were subjected to abusive language, and their clothes were torn. Shockingly, the attackers were accompanied by some women, who beat Amrita and her companion, Upasana, and pulled their clothes. When Amrita tried to show a letter regarding the government’s land allotment, the accused, Parimal Mandal, tore up the official document and threw it away.

There was no pity even for the innocent and the elderly.

The brutality reached its peak when Amrita’s 8-year-old son was thrown to the ground and beaten. When her 65-year-old mother tried to save her grandson, the goons pulled down her nightdress. Even in her half-naked state, the elderly woman struggled to save her grandson. TMC workers kept kicking her back until she fell unconscious. Amrita was thrown down the stairs and was left in an unconscious state.

Systematic system of loot, temple of education turned into a ‘warehouse’

The TMC goons not only got the school evacuated, but also ruthlessly looted all the materials accumulated by the Aranyaj Society for Educational and Environmental Development after years of hard work. The inventory of the items looted from the school premises demonstrates that this was not merely a politically-motivated illegal occupation, but a well-planned robbery.

School and hostel property that was looted –

  • Education and Technology: Around 1500 books kept in the school library, an LCD projector set, a public addressing system, two CPU sets, an Asus laptop and important document files were stolen.
  • Energy and Infrastructure: One solar inverter, two solar panels (160W), 8 ceiling fans, 4 table fans, 20 LED lights and 4 heavy-duty halogen lights.
  • Furniture: 12 wooden benches, 40 plastic chairs, 2 wooden tables, and shelves.
  • Hostel Furnishings: 3 wooden beds, 20 blankets, 20 pillows and 5 bedding sets kept for teachers and volunteers.

Robbery of the rights of women and children

The NGO not only ran a school but also operated a sanitary napkin production unit to support women’s self-reliance. The attackers did not even spare the unit’s valuable machinery, which included:

  • 2 HP Pulveriser Machine and Wood Pulp Grinder.
  • 3 UV Radiation Sterilisers (2000 napkin capacity).
  • Ball press machine (weighing 100 kg) and 10 sealing machines.
  • 600 packets of finished sanitary napkins and 200 kg of raw materials like wood pulp.

Items, including 450 school uniforms for children, 150 waterproof bags, 150 sarees, 100 kg of rice, 20 kg of pulses, and even the refrigerator, were stolen from the kitchen. In addition to that, ₹20,000 was stolen from the organisation’s cash box and ₹15,000 from Amrita’s personal bag.

‘Powerful figures’ named in the chargesheet

Serious questions have emerged regarding the conduct of the police in the entire case. Despite the FIR being filed on July 9, 2024, no significant urgency was shown in arresting the accused during the TMC government. The charge sheet filed by Investigating Officer Priyanka Rooj (LSI) is sufficient to expose these criminals.

The main accused against whom the charge sheet was filed-

  • Dilip Mondal (Jharkhali deputy head and mastermind of the attack)
  • Parimal Mondal
  • Dhananjoy Mondal
  • Saroj Chandra Biswas
  • Apurva Roy
  • Vishwajeet Bari
  • Kishore Gayen
  • Samir Mandal

All of them were charged under various serious sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 329(4) (causing grievous hurt), 115(2), 76, 324(4), 351(3), and 3(5). A charge sheet was filed in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Alipore, but due to political protection, the accused roamed freely for two years.

The scenario changed with the change of power

With the fall of Mamata Banerjee’s government in the 2026 assembly elections, the administration’s lost credibility has finally returned. Locals say that as soon as the political protection of the culprits was lifted, the morale of these goons was shattered. The school, which endured years of silence and fear, is now resonating with the laughter of children.

A video circulating on social media shows local villagers and NGO workers working together to clean up the school and hoist the tricolour. The video not only shows the liberation of a school but also reflects the release of pent-up anger of the locals, which was suppressed for years.

Amrita Bose Gupta tells OpIndia about the situation of the past month

In an exclusive conversation with OpIndia, Amrita Bose Gupta explained that as the election atmosphere heated up, the illegal activities of TMC goons increased. She said that TMC leader Raja Gazi was behind the illegal activities, including the illegal occupation of the school, of Dilip Mandal and his gang. Amrita added that initially, she was not sure who was giving protection to Dilip Mandal and the gang, but later, she found out that it was Raja Gazi. Currently, the police are searching for him, and he could be arrested at any time. She explained that for the past month, the lives of everyone associated with Aranyaj School have been in constant danger.

Amrita revealed that she and her colleagues had received numerous death threats over the past month. Despite this, they devoted all their efforts to a change of government and campaigned vigorously for the BJP. Amrita attributed the liberation of the school to the BJP’s electoral victory. Even though the TMC candidate won the seat, the change in power in the state gave her and her team the courage to unlock the school.

Amrita Bose Gupta said that her focus is currently on reviving the school. Since the academic year has begun, bringing children will be a challenge, but it will take time to fully establish the school. She added that this school will run with the cooperation of the people, and no party support is needed. We will receive the law and order and justice we need from this new government; that will be enough for us.

BJP acknowledged Amrita’s struggle and tweeted the video

It’s important to note that while the TMC, which has been in power for a long time, and its supporters are hell-bent on ruining the future of young children, the BJP not only acknowledged Amrit Bose Gupta’s struggle but also posted a video of the school’s liberation on its official X handle. Amrita mentioned the moral support she is currently receiving from the BJP.

Hope for justice

The school is free, but Aranyaj now faces a mountain of challenges. Stolen goods, broken machinery, and two years of educational loss, who will compensate? Amrita Bose Gupta has appealed to the administration to not only put the accused behind bars but also ensure the recovery of every penny and item stolen.

Amid the ongoing chaos in the state, the most striking image is that of the children who returned to their school campus after nearly two years. During the period, the rooms where students used to study remained locked, and the walls where children’s dreams were supposed to be written were overshadowed by political conflict. The question now is whether this school will be able to return to its old glory, offering free education to poor children, job training for women, and a beacon of hope for rural society.

Amrita Bose Gupta with children (Photo courtesy: Special Arrangement)

This case also sets a precedent for other areas of Bengal where public welfare institutions and private properties have been seized by political influence. The liberation of Aranyaj School is a message that the arrogance of power is not eternal, and that justice and education ultimately prevail.

Today, every child in Parbatipur is saying, “We have our school back. Now we will study again.” This small victory could prove to be a big step towards the revival of Bengal.

(This article is a translation of the original article published at OpIndia Hindi.)





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