Hadi killing: Amit Shah pressured not to disclose arrest of ‘big murderer’, Mamata says

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, in her first major protest since losing the West Bengal elections, on Tuesday alleged that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah asked her to keep quiet about the arrest of a “big murderer” from Bangladesh in what was a reference to the killing of Osman Hadi in December last year.

Speaking at the dharna (peaceful protest) organised in central Kolkata, she said, "A big murderer was arrested from Bangladesh by the STF (Special Task Force), which led to many revolutions in Bangladesh.”

She said the murderer came from Meghalaya to West Bengal, where the individual was arrested.

“But then Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself called me and told me to inform the state police so that this news does not leak. Because this is a matter of our country."

Egged on by the crowd to name the victim, Mamata refused, saying it was another country’s internal matter and that it could cause unrest among the population there.

She then sent a warning to Amit Shah.

“Who did you get to do the murder? Whose names came out. Even if the government has changed, I know everything,” she said.

She said she had not said anything until now, but the “atrocities [against her party] had reached their limits”.

Mamata had joined the protest against what she called attacks on Trinamool workers following the election verdict that propelled the BJP to power in her state, terming it a “do or die” period for her party.

In March this year, news broke of India's West Bengal Police STF arresting the prime accused, along with his alleged associate, in the murder of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi from the border area of Bongaon in West Bengal.

The arrestees were identified as Faisal Karim Masud, 37, of Patuakhali; and Alamgir Hossain, 34, of Dhaka.

According to Indian media reports quoting the STF, the arrests were made on March 7 following intelligence information that two Bangladeshi nationals involved in serious crimes, including murder and extortion, had fled Bangladesh and entered India illegally.

During preliminary interrogation, Faisal, also known as Rahul, reportedly confessed that he and Alamgir were involved in the killing of Hadi.

Hadi was shot in the head in Dhaka on December 12, 2025, while conducting his electioneering as an aspiring independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency.