Friday, July 1, 2011

Hindus in Sandeshkhali tortured; paying price for identifying Muslim thieves

Bapon Patra – innocent Hindu lad, worst victim

Whatever may be the change of regime, be it political, social or even economical, Hindu persecution is unabated in the Indian state of Bengal and Bapon Patra, Hindu Scheduled Caste (SC) boy of 21 years, inhabitant of village – Agarhati, P.S. Sandeshkhali, District: 24 Paraganas (North), along with other Hindus in the area have become the worst victim.

All these started on June 29, 2011 at 2 am when a band of thieves containing 12-15 persons to steal fishes was found within the compound of 80 bihga long fishery of Swarnakamal Saha. It is worthwhile to mention that Muslim thieves are notorious in the vicinity for conducting such activities.

Two employees of the fishery, Sadhan Ranjit, manager of the fishery and Chandan Haldar, guard of the property, failed to counter, overpower the cronies and hence, in search of assistance they came to the Hindu dominated village of Agarhati. Hindus went with them; seeing this most of the Muslim thieves fled. However, 3 of the band were identified as Jiarul Ley, Rehman Gain and Nur Box Mollah. Jiarul also managed to flee but the two others were caught red-handed and thrashed. Azgar Mollah, resident of nearby Azgar para and leader of local dacoits, also a prominent supporter of CPIM, along with Jiauddin Mollah of Trinamool Congress (TMC), brother-in-law of Moslem Sheikh (CPIM), local head of Agarhati, intervened at 4 am and took away the two Muslim thieves warning Hindus.

It has been learnt that Nur Box Mollah was first admitted to Rajbari Health Center and following release, he is in his own residence.

In the intervening time, here is a brief description of Azgar para and Agarhati. While the distance between the two villages is of 1 km, Azgar para is dominated by 60 Muslim households. Agarahti, on the other hand, is a Hindu-dominated village containing 190 Hindu families and 60 Muslim families.

A new development took place at 7.30am in the local Choto Bit Pole (Maniktala) Bazaar, Agarhati. Bapon Patra, playing a key role to capture said Muslim thieves (he used torchlight to help Hindus identify thieves), was there at that moment and advent of 20 Muslim Harmads (thugs) was witnessed.

Thugs including Mehboob Mollah, son of Azgar Mollah, without spending a single word, overpowered Bapon and took him to Azgar para, in particular to the fishery of Azgar Mollah. Bapon was badly beaten midway. Four Hindus like Dipankar Mandal, s/o Dinesh Mandal, Pashupati Mandal s/o Indu Bhushan Mandal, Jagannath Manna s/o Nemai Manna and Dinesh Mistri s/o Sannyasi Mistri made great efforts to save him from being abducted but in vain.

In the fishery of Azgar Mollah, no stone was left unturned to thrash Bapon and all forms of torturing were applied on him. Persons taking leading part in this inhuman torture included Hasa Mollah, Mehboob Mollah, Jiaraul Ley, Rehman Gain, Esrael Mollah, Shafique Mollah, Jehangir, Gopal Chowkidar (Muslim). While Bapon was being beaten, he was also forced to swallow painkillers. And the tortures went on like clockwork.

Ultimately Bapon was asked to write on a white paper by Dhona Sheikh (local influential TMC leader), Azgar Mollah (CPIM) and Jiauddin Mollah (TMC). Even if he was unwilling initially, repeated kicks and blows compelled him to do the same. Bapon Patra had to write – I, Bapon Patra, write in good sense that three persons captured at 2 am are innocent. Sadhan Ranjit and Chandan Haldar had done it as part of a conspiracy and then handed over the two fatally injured persons to Azgar Mollah. I am writing this on my own and devoid of any threat or compulsion.

As soon as the writing was completed, Bapon was taken in a motorcycle by Azgar Mollah, Dhona Sheikh and was sent to Sadhan Ranjit. Hearing all these, Bapon's father, Nemai Patra, went to Boyarmari Police Outpost under P.S. Sandeshkhali. 4 police personnel, hearing his plea, escorted Nemai to residence of Sadhan Ranjit and assisted both of them to take Bapon to Rajbari Health Center. The clinic advised primary measures of having essential tablets and doing X-ray without delay.

This was followed by Bapon’s approach to the local P.S. Sandeshkhali at 12 pm along with Haripada Haldar (local leader of CPIM), Bhabesh Mahatab, Chandan Haldar, Basudev Dolui. Muslim assailants, responsible to beat Bapon black and blue, were already in the jam-packed police station. Hence, the entire team had to wait up to 4 pm.

Meanwhile, Nemai Patra, Bapon’s father, perceived Jayanata Biswas, Officer-in-Charge of P.S. Sandeshkhali, and Pradip Ganguli, in–charge of Boyarmari Police Outpost, discussing of settling the matter following their brief investigation, in the local TMC office.

Amal Babu, Duty Officer in police station, was found aggressive; he talked to Bapon in a coercive tone. Amal Babu said to Bapon, “You are a magistrate; you wrote in a white paper on your own. You’re also the judge; so a judge like you must be sent to the court. Isn’t it?”Amal Babu refused to register the complaint altogether.

The tone was enough to bewilder and terrify Bapon. Dhona Sheikh (local influential TMC leader), referred at times already, appeared in the police station at that time and asked Bapon threateningly what he was doing there since the matter would be settled by Jayanta Babu and Pradip Babu. Amal Babu remained indifferent leaving the Hindus there stunned. Hindus came out of the police station without lodging any complaint.

Bapon is getting threatening calls at the moment; Hindus in the village and neighborhood are terrified.

No comments:

Post a Comment