India’s Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has launched a campaign to raise 5 million rupees for Sheikh Abdul Hafiz after his father, Mafik, died following an alleged assault in Karisunda village under Indas police station in Bankura. CJP said Hafiz and his father were attacked at their home on August 13, and Mafik died on August 15 after sustaining a serious head injury.

According to CJP, 25-year-old Hafiz had visited a government school in the village on August 13 under its “Fix the School” campaign and highlighted poor infrastructure. The party alleged that armed people identified as local BJP workers assaulted the pair and pressured Hafiz to record an apology video and say he had acted at others’ instigation. CJP said Hafiz was seriously injured in the neck and later moved to Kolkata for security reasons.

Hafiz has declined government compensation, saying he wants a world-class school named after his father instead. A CJP national working committee delegation led by co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka visited Hafiz and his family on August 17. The party said the fundraising will support the family and sustain its demand for improved government schools in the area.