On 17 January 2017, villagers in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, clashed with police over a POWERGRID substation built on land they said was taken by force. Two villagers died of bullet wounds; police denied firing a single shot. After a year and a half of blockades, UAPA cases and a violent 2018 panchayat poll, the state agreed to cut the number of transmission lines and the substation's first unit was commissioned in February 2019.
Key takeaways
- The Bhangar protest was against a 400/220 kV POWERGRID substation, which POWERGRID calls Rajarhat, built on about 13 acres acquired in 2013-14 in Polerhat II gram panchayat, Bhangar II block.
- On 17 January 2017 two villagers died of bullet wounds in Bhangar. Villagers blamed police firing; ADG Anuj Sharma said police "didn't fire a single shot".
- Red Star leaders Alik Chakraborty and Sharmistha Choudhury were booked under the UAPA. Chakraborty was arrested in Bhubaneswar in May 2018.
- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said nothing would be done against villagers' will, but blamed "misinformation", Maoists and opposition parties for the unrest.
- After the May 2018 panchayat polls the state promised fewer lines, more compensation, jobs and withdrawal of cases. Work restarted in August 2018 and the first unit was commissioned in February 2019.
Background: the substation and the land
Bhangar II block lies about 35 km from Kolkata, close to the Rajarhat township. By 2014 the state government had acquired a little over 13 acres there for a substation that would carry power between West Bengal and Bihar. The power minister put the compensation paid at close to Rs 15 crore. The land was taken under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 Caravan.
The project belonged to the Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), a central public sector company. It described the 1,000 MVA Rajarhat 400/220 kV substation as "critical to supply of power in Kolkata and surrounding areas", linked to Farakka and Purnea Energetica India. Land for transmission towers was not acquired. The district magistrate said owners kept it and were paid compensation for the towers Caravan.
Villagers said men working for Arabul Islam, a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former MLA, forced them to sell multi-crop land Claim · Villagers. Bhangar MLA Abdur Rezzak Mollah, also of the TMC, blamed builders. He said overhead lines would stop high-rise projects nearby, so builders "instigated farmers" Claim · Rezzak Mollah Caravan.
How the protest started
Unrest began in late 2016. In December 2016 villagers formed the Jomi, Jibika, Paribesh o Bastutantra Raksha Committee, a committee to protect land, livelihood, environment and ecosystem Caravan. Its members came from Khamarait, Machhibhanga, Tona, Gazipur and other villages Land Conflict Watch. Scroll later described it as an umbrella body of 16 villages Scroll.
Fear about the high-voltage lines was a big part of it. "We intensified our protests after coming to know about the power grid as the high-tension wires passing overhead might damage our crops and lead to health hazards," villager Ashraf Ali Khan told Newslaundry Newslaundry. Activists said no social or environmental impact assessment was shown to villagers. The state environment minister said he was not sure whether one had been done Caravan.
Timeline
Work halted
The state announced a temporary halt to work on the grid. Some residents said they still saw activity at the site Caravan.
Roads blocked
Villagers began protesting and blocked roads around Khamarait and Machhibhanga openDemocracy.
Local leader picked up
Police detained committee member Sheikh Shamsul Haq, known as Kalu Sheikh. He was freed within hours after villagers protested at the police station Caravan.
Clashes and two deaths
Villagers blocked roads and damaged police vehicles. Police used tear gas and lathis. Two people were killed and several injured PTI via The Quint.
Blockade lifted
Villagers removed an eight-day roadblock on Haroa Road. Committee representatives said some villagers had been forced to withdraw it Millennium Post.
High Court seeks report
The Calcutta High Court asked police for a progress report on the firing case, the case diary, the ballistic report and the post-mortem reports Millennium Post.
23 arrested
Police arrested Red Star leader Sunil Pal, taking arrests linked to the movement to 23, and alleged he gave protesters arms training Millennium Post.
Restart, then stall
Work resumed in October or November 2017 but stopped again from 1 December 2017 because of local protests CEA.
Panchayat poll violence
Committee candidates filed nominations by WhatsApp with the High Court's approval. A committee supporter was shot dead on 11 May and Arabul Islam was arrested IBNS.
Alik Chakraborty arrested
West Bengal Police and Bhubaneswar police arrested him at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar OdishaBytes.
Work restarts
Construction restarted in mid-August 2018 "with the help of local administration" CEA.
First unit commissioned
The first 500 MVA unit of the Rajarhat GIS substation was commissioned CEA.
The deaths of 17 January
Newslaundry named the dead as Alamgir Molla, 25, a postgraduate student, and Mafizul Ali Khan, 26, a truck driver. Alamgir's mother said he was not part of the protest and had gone to pray at a mosque when he was shot twice Newslaundry. Land Conflict Watch spells the names as Mafijul Sheikh and Alamgir Khan Land Conflict Watch.
Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay at first spoke of only one death. He announced Rs 2 lakh in compensation, reportedly sent to both families. Newslaundry reported that the administration had accepted that both men died of bullet wounds Newslaundry.
Who fired is still disputed. Villagers said about 300 armed men, some in police uniform, entered their villages, beat people and opened fire. Discarded uniforms were later found in the fields, and villagers suspected the men were "plants" Claim · Villagers Newslaundry. Police said the firing was between two groups of protesters PTI via The Quint. No finding on who fired was found in the sources reviewed.
There has been no police firing. The police didn't fire a single shot. The work of the Power Grid station has already stopped.
Anuj Sharma, ADG (law and order), West Bengal, 17 Jan 2017 (PTI)
The three positions
The committee's position
The committee said the land was taken by force and that the project was unsafe. Red Star's Alik Chakraborty said: "The entire acquisition was done illegally. It was a multi-crop land, and the ruling party used local thugs to forcibly acquire it from villagers." Committee member Jahangir Alam said the method of acquisition, not the price, angered people Caravan. The committee demanded its land back and a halt to construction IANS via Business Standard. Supporters said the government was making "political arrests" and "slapping UAPA charges indiscriminately" Scroll.
The state government's position
Government's position The state halted work and said it would not proceed without consent. Mamata Banerjee said: "The project to set up power grid substation will be implemented only if local people want it. Nothing will be done against their will." She said the land was bought "after proper negotiation", that probably only 11 people had not taken compensation, and that the trouble came from "misinforming the local people" Millennium Post. In May 2017 she said "The Maoists have misinformed the people about the project" and had been joined by the BJP, Congress and CPI(M) Millennium Post. Power minister Chattopadhyay said he had "doubts about their real intention" PTI via The Quint.
POWERGRID's position
In January 2017 POWERGRID said the substation used gas-insulated switchgear, which needs about a quarter of the land of a conventional station and is "safe, reliable". It said the state government had been "all along supporting POWERGRID" and asked all stakeholders to cooperate Energetica India. Later in 2017 an unnamed official said over 90% of the work was done, the company was "incurring heavy losses every day", and protesters ran "a parallel administration" Scroll.
The TMC and police on the ground
Police said the officers were attacked with stones and bricks and used tear gas and lathis to regain control PTI via The Quint. In January 2018 minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah said more than 97% of the work was complete and accused the CPI(M), Congress and Red Star of "conspiracy". Arabul Islam called the agitation "part of conspiracy" IANS via Business Standard.
The CPI(M) Polit Bureau condemned "the police firing at Bhangar" and said "There can be no forcible acquisition of land" CPI(M).
Red Star and the UAPA cases
The CPI(ML) Red Star backed the committee. Its activist Sharmistha Choudhury was arrested in January 2017 and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Her husband Alik Chakraborty, a senior Red Star leader, went into hiding with several FIRs and non-bailable warrants against him Scroll.
West Bengal Police called Chakraborty a "most-wanted Maoist" but did not give details of his record. He was arrested in Bhubaneswar on 31 May 2018 OdishaBytes. Chakraborty denied any link to Maoists and said Red Star believed in "parliamentary democracy and peaceful democratic movements" Claim · Alik Chakraborty Scroll.
In April 2018 more activists were arrested. Activist Ratul Banerjee, arrested on 8 April, was booked under the UAPA Newslaundry / 101Reporters.
The 2018 panchayat poll
The committee decided to contest the 2018 panchayat election. On 23 April its 11 candidates told the Calcutta High Court they had been unable to file nominations. The court noted a report that only one nomination had been filed in each of Polerhat II's 16 seats by 9 April. Candidates sent to Alipore to file said they were "badly manhandled". On 24 April Justice Subrata Talukdar ordered that the papers nine of them had sent by WhatsApp be treated as valid LiveLaw.
On 11 May 2018 a committee-backed rally in Polerhat II was fired on. Hafizul Mollah, 30, of Machhibhanga, was killed. According to a source cited by IBNS, Banerjee directed that Arabul Islam be arrested, and police arrested him that night IBNS. Land Conflict Watch reports he was later released on bail Land Conflict Watch.
On polling day, 14 May, committee agents and candidates said armed men attacked five booths and cast fake votes with police help. Candidate Entajul Khan said he was beaten unconscious and his leg was broken Claim · Committee. The TMC pointed to a statement saying "A few isolated incidents have taken place" that it "neither wanted nor supported" Scroll. Committee-backed independents won gram panchayat seats wherever voting took place, while the TMC won the panchayat samiti IANS via LatestLY.
The settlement and completion
After the May 2018 polls, the state reached an agreement with villagers through a notice from the South 24 Parganas district magistrate. The plan cut transmission lines from 16 to four: two 400 kV POWERGRID lines and two 220 kV state lines. It promised more compensation and jobs for landowners and the families of the dead. It also said criminal cases against protesters would be withdrawn Land Conflict Watch.
The Central Electricity Authority recorded that work restarted in mid-August 2018 CEA. By late December protesters had stalled work again, alleging a "breach of trust". Agitation leader Mirza Hassan said: "The state government had promised that all cases against the agitators including those under UAPA will be withdrawn but none has been done so far." The block development officer said many issues had been resolved at block level Deccan Herald. The CEA listed the first 500 MVA unit as commissioned in February 2019 CEA.
Outcome
- Deaths: Two villagers shot dead on 17 Jan 2017. A committee supporter was shot dead on 11 May 2018. Deccan Herald counts four deaths in the agitation, including a local TMC leader.
- Police firing: Denied by police. The Calcutta High Court sought ballistic and post-mortem reports in February 2017.
- Arrests: 23 by June 2017, including Red Star leaders. Alik Chakraborty arrested in May 2018. Several activists booked under the UAPA.
- Compensation: Rs 2 lakh announced for victims' families in January 2017.
- Settlement: Lines cut from 16 to four, with more compensation, jobs and a promise to withdraw cases.
- Project: First 500 MVA unit commissioned in February 2019.
Where things stand
Disputes over the 2018 promises went on. In January 2021 villagers locked the substation, saying a cold storage and hospital had not been built. They locked it again in July 2022. The state then bought land from 34 farmers in Polerhat II for a cold storage. Land Conflict Watch records the conflict as ended in November 2022 Land Conflict Watch.
Bhangar stayed violent at election time. At least three people died there in the run-up to the July 2023 panchayat polls 101Reporters. No outcome of the 2017 firing inquiry or the UAPA cases was found in the sources reviewed, and no 2025-26 developments on the substation were found.
Questions people ask
What was the Bhangar movement about?
Villagers in Bhangar II block, South 24 Parganas, opposed a POWERGRID substation and its high-voltage lines. They said land was taken by force and that the lines were a risk to health and crops. The state said villagers had been misled.
How many people died in the Bhangar protest?
Two villagers died of bullet wounds on 17 January 2017. A committee supporter, Hafizul Mollah, was shot dead during the 2018 panchayat campaign. Deccan Herald puts the total deaths in the agitation at four.
Did police fire in Bhangar?
Villagers said police, or men in police uniform, fired. ADG Anuj Sharma said police did not fire a single shot and that the firing was between protesters. The Calcutta High Court sought ballistic and post-mortem reports in 2017.
Who is Alik Chakraborty?
He is a CPI(ML) Red Star leader who supported the committee. He was booked under the UAPA and arrested in Bhubaneswar on 31 May 2018. Police called him a Maoist; he said his party believed in parliamentary democracy.
Was the Bhangar power grid completed?
Yes. After a 2018 deal that cut the number of lines from 16 to four, work restarted in August 2018. The first 500 MVA unit was commissioned in February 2019, according to the Central Electricity Authority.
What did Mamata Banerjee say about Bhangar?
She said the project would go ahead only if local people wanted it. She also said the trouble came from misinformation and blamed Maoists and opposition parties for misleading villagers.
Sources
- PTI via The Quint: Two dead in West Bengal after clash with police over power project, 17 Jan 2017
- Newslaundry: Bengal's burning again, two dead in Bhangar, 20 Jan 2017
- Caravan: How forcible land acquisition and in-fighting within the TMC led to the agitation in Bhangar, 21 Jan 2017
- Energetica India: POWERGRID Rajarhat 400/220 kV substation, 19 Jan 2017
- CPI(M) Polit Bureau: statement on Bhangar firing, 18 Jan 2017
- Millennium Post: Normalcy returns as villagers withdraw roadblock after 8 days, 25 Jan 2017
- Millennium Post: Spreading of misinformation among villagers led to Bhangar unrest: CM, 9 Feb 2017
- openDemocracy: Residents of Bhangar resist hazardous power plant amid repression, 2017
- Scroll: Mamata Banerjee is making political arrests to crush stir against power project, claim protestors, 2017
- Millennium Post: CM criticises 'outsiders' for stalling power grid construction, 30 May 2017
- Millennium Post: One more held over power grid protests, 8 Jun 2017
- IANS via Business Standard: Trinamool accuses opposition of conspiring for violence in Bhangar, 7 Jan 2018
- LiveLaw: Calcutta HC asks State EC to accept nominations sent by WhatsApp, Apr 2018
- IBNS: TMC leader Arabul Islam arrested in connection with Bhangar clash, 12 May 2018
- Newslaundry / 101Reporters: Bengal panchayat poll violence, 14 May 2018
- Scroll: Violence, rigging in West Bengal panchayat polls, May 2018
- IANS via LatestLY: West Bengal panchayat results 2018, 17 May 2018
- OdishaBytes: Most-wanted Maoist nabbed in Bhubaneswar, 1 Jun 2018
- Central Electricity Authority: Substation construction status, as on 31 Aug 2018
- Central Electricity Authority: Substation construction status, Dec 2018
- Deccan Herald: Protestors stall work at Bhangar power grid, 29 Dec 2018
- Central Electricity Authority: Substations commissioned during Feb 2019
- 101Reporters: In violence-hit Bhangar, TMC wins majority of panchayat seats without contest, 8 Jul 2023
- Land Conflict Watch: West Bengal government changes plan for Power Grid in Bhangar following protests, updated Apr 2025