Muslims attack against Hindus in Chakdaha, Nadia

The village of Madanpur within the jurisdiction of police station of Chakdaha in the district of Nadia remains witness to a deliberate, vicious attack against Hindus by Islamists and apprehensions that the situation may worsen more are on the rise. If sources are to be believed, while radical Muslim youths are gearing up for a new onslaught, patience and trust of aggrieved Hindus on administration thanks to persecution are on the verge of collapse. Even if the local police have pledged to adopt strictest measures to take the criminals into custody, local Hindus have already termed it as hollow and also unreliable. It has also been learnt, local political parties are siding for Islamists to retain their own minority vote bank. The attack against Hindus emanated from a mere controversy in the local fair on March 26.

Gourangapur More (crossway) in the village of Madanpur comprises a mixed population and has been witnessing clashes between Hindus and Muslims. However, its intensity has soared in the last few years and now it seems that a mere excuse is enough to incite Islamists to assail Hindus. The village, at the moment, is having a fair on Holi or the spring festival of colors and as a result, lots of makeshift stalls have also come up. Similar to any other rural fairs, gambling is also going on there. On March 26, a few Muslim youths were also involved in this nasty game of gambling in a shop. But, gradually, they lost all stakes and in the end, the shop owner asked them to pay the money. What irked locals there was that the youths refused to pay any money and instead threatened the shop owner to return them more. The defiance enraged locals as well as the owner. But to retain law and order, he asked youths again to pay. When they denied flatly, a verbal spat, as usual, took place and it changed to a hand-to-hand conflict soon. Without doubt, both sides thrashed each other and the Muslim youths living in Gourangapur Kaltalapara went back. All witnessing the clash had heaved a sigh of relief, as a result.

But contrary to their expectations, the same gang of Muslim youths returned with more Islamists at 9.30 pm and a complete hell was let loose. The gang, almost instantaneously, made a dastardly attack on the gambling center. Once it was made flat with the ground, they charged at the other shops owned by Hindus. In a little while, tea shop owned by Bappa Das was crushed and others were simply wrecked. Even Bappa’s aged and ailing mother was also targeted; she, along with Bablu Das, was beaten hollow. Hindu women and children were not spared as well; women ran hither and thither in search of shelter from zealots while their innocent children had to bear slaps and kicks. The gang was having lethal weapons as well and those were used to beat Bablu Das, Bappa Das and his ailing mother.      

To take stock of the situation, police turned up an hour later but the criminals had fled by then. Hindus burst into protest demanding stringent actions against the culprits. Local political parties are tight-lipped over the whole incident but Debasis Biswas, president of Kalyani block for Trinamool Congress was found to advocate criminals and calm agitating Hindus down. But his entire approach backfired; he was beaten by local Hindus in a rage. No criminal has been arrested yet; tension refuses to diminish in the area.