Hindus waging desperate struggles in Basanti, Sandeshkhali

 

Friday, October 25, 2013

The following is a heartrending narrative of the condition of Hindus inhabiting No. 7, No. 9, No. 10 and No. 11 Kumrakhali villages under the jurisdiction of police station of Basanti in South 24 Paraganas district. The fierce disorder now prevailing in these villages commenced on October 16 on the day of Bakri Id/Eid ul-Adha when a handful of Muslim youths forcefully closed down shops in Rampur Bazar under the authority of police station of Sandeshkhali. As the majority of shops there are owned by Hindus such an abrupt diktat angered them a lot. While they tried their best to convince the Muslim youths of the problems of shutting down shops and the consequent financial losses, nothing could be achieved. Meanwhile, the tension reached Sanfuipara in No. 9 Kumrakhali village and an altercation ensued between the Hindu and Muslim youths. The situation could have been checked but the attack on local and venerated Panchanan Thakur temple spoiled the remaining chances. Hindus reacted strongly and to stop them several Muslim thugs fired shots injuring several Hindu youths including Khagen Dolui.

Soumen Mandal, following the short fight, was approaching his residence in No. 7 Kumrakhali village in a motorbike. He was not alone; Khagen Dolui was also with him. Suddenly, they were attacked by Muslim youths in throngs at Pukurpar. The attack proved to be vicious enough; not only his bike was destroyed but both of them were badly thrashed. While severely harmed Khagen fled to No. 9 Kumrakhali village, Soumen fled to No. 7 Kumrakhali village to save HIS life. What followed next was nothing save for a desperate struggle of Hindus to save their own existence there.  

But the situation refuses to end here. Thanks to political pressure to have Muslim votes, police has arrested 14 Hindus in two cases albeit their involvement remains doubtful. While in one case 31 Hindus have been accused in the FIR, the other case involves 3. Goutam Roy, reputed activist of Hindu Samhati from No. 7 Kumrakhali village has already been arrested by a team from the police station in Basanti. He, at the moment, is confined in the lockup of police station at Canning. On the word of locals, arrested Hindu youths had been thorns to Muslim hoodlums like Shahjahan Sheikh, Shajahan Ghazi, Sabdel Mullah, Gaffar Mullah, and the hoodlums were desperate to get rid of them. As expected, police has not detained Shaukat Mollah, local leader of Trinamool Congress, yet even if he stated publicly on October 17 at Sarberia Gorurhat that if police fails to apprehend Hindus, a large of exodus of Hindus will follow only.