On August 16, 1946, Kolkata witnessed one of the bloodiest communal riots in India’s history, the Great Calcutta Killing. The violence, sparked by the Muslim League’s call for “Direct Action Day”, left thousands dead and injured.

At the center of this chaos was Gopal Mukherjee, popularly called Gopal Paantha because of his family’s mutton shop. Leading a gang of nearly 800 young men, he claimed his mission was to protect Hindus from rioters, though his methods were often brutal. Armed with pistols, swords, and sticks, Gopal’s group retaliated fiercely, earning both fear and admiration.

In later interviews, Gopal said he only targeted attackers, not ordinary Muslims, and strictly forbade harm to women. His grandson recalls him as a nationalist inspired by Subhas Chandra Bose, who fought not for pride but out of “duty”.

However, historians note that after the riots, many such gang leaders slipped into organized crime. Gopal’s story, now revived in films and debates, remains a reminder of how violence, politics, and community survival clashed during India’s Partition-era Bengal.