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It sounds like a scene pulled straight from a dark comedy. But in West Bengal, it is just another Thursday.
A local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader was forced to hide under his own bed to escape a furious mob of villagers.
The reason? The infamous Bengal cut-money scam.
The cut-money scam in West Bengal is now producing scenes straight out of a political farce.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 4, 2026
In Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar, local residents surrounded the residence of TMC leader Shahidul Miya, accusing him of extorting between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000 from beneficiaries of government… pic.twitter.com/NtfwX94vIQ
A Desperate Hiding Spot
The drama unfolded today in Mathabhanga, a town in the Cooch Behar district.
Local politician Shahidul Miya found his residence surrounded by hundreds of angry locals. They were done protesting. They wanted their money back.
According to ground reports, Miya had allegedly extorted amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000. This cash was squeezed out of poor beneficiaries trying to access government housing schemes.
When the crowd finally breached the property, sheer panic set in. Miya literally dove under his bed to save himself.
Police eventually arrived in heavy numbers. They had to push back the crowd to rescue the terrified politician from his dusty sanctuary.
"If we had been even ten minutes late, the mob might have dragged him out," a local officer noted off the record.
BJP Turns Up the Heat
The BJP wasted no time weaponizing the bizarre footage.
Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP’s IT cell, shared the video across social media platforms. He called the entire situation a political farce.
"As public anger erupted, the TMC leader hid under his bed to escape the furious crowd," Malviya wrote.
He pointed out a larger pattern of extortion gripping the state. From Kakdwip to Namkhana, the story is identical. Corruption, public panic, and eventual mob justice.
"Those who once exploited the poor are finding it increasingly difficult to hide," Malviya added.
The Cut-Money Epidemic
This is not an isolated incident. The "cut-money" culture has plagued rural Bengal for years.
Local strongmen demand a commission a "cut" before allowing villagers to access state or central welfare funds.
Housing schemes are meant to provide a roof over the heads of the poorest citizens. Instead, they have become a lucrative ATM for neighborhood toughs.
But the tide is shifting. Villagers are losing their fear.
Just last week, several Mathabhanga locals successfully forced political operatives to return their extorted cash.
In a similar event in the South 24 Parganas district, a TMC panchayat member had to publicly refund Rs 5,000 each to 45 different villagers in Patibunia.
What Happens Next?
The district TMC leadership is currently in massive damage control mode.
Official spokespersons have completely denied any institutional involvement in these illegal collections. They are blaming rogue individuals instead.
But optics matter in politics. And the image of a ruling party leader cowering beneath a mattress will be hard to erase from the public's mind.
With elections always looming on the horizon, public patience is wearing dangerously thin. If the state machinery cannot curb this grassroots extortion, voters just might take matters into their own hands.
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