Muslim radicals molest, injure Hindu housewife in Howrah
Muslim
culprits released forcibly
Hindus
burst into protest
How
the district of Howrah in the Indian state of Bengal
is turning into a stronghold of Islamic fundamentalism can be ascertained from
the torturous experiences of Sushmita Das, Hindu housewife of age 18, wife of
Kunal Das and living in village: Nimtala Barwaritala, Nazirgunj I/C, P.S.
Sankrail. She was both molested and injured violently on April 9, 2013 at 11 pm
by three Muslim radicals, Zafar (age 22) and Jehangir (age 26), joined by
another one later. They entered the
Hindu household as hucksters or hawkers.
Was
there any enmity between Sushmita, her husband and these Islamists? To know this we would have to focus on another
event taking place 6 months ago. At that time, Bosebabu, a Hindu individual dwelling
in the same village, constructed a road for Hindus, especially to make their
communication easier. The entire project, including its expenses, was managed
by him single-handedly. However, from its inception, the road was being used by
Muslims too and more for transporting beef. The vicious strategy was to affront
Hindus and their religious beliefs; this led to resentment among Hindus,
naturally.
On
last Bhaiphonta (Bengali Hindu festival), a severe Hindu-Muslim tension erupted
when Hindus protested against Muslim ruffians transporting beef. The tension
led to a scuffle and two Muslim youths were beaten but released later. It has
been learnt, Kunal Das, husband of wounded Sushmita, played a key role in the
struggle. Hence, the attack on April 9, 2013 was nothing save an Islamic effort
to teach Kunal a lesson.
On
the very day, April 9, 2013, Zafar and Jehangir, entered Kunal’s residence as
hawkers and asked Sushmita to purchase garments from them. But Sushmita, due to
high prices of garments, rejected the offer outright. Sushmita’s mother-in-law
was present there initially but went to her neighbor’s house for a personal
job, later on. Once she left the third Islamist entered Kunal’s residence,
joined Zafar and Jehangir and the three Muslim radicals attacked Sushmita all
of a sudden. They injured her violently; attempts to rape her were also made.
Sushmita
shouted and hearing her voice, local Hindu youths, Pulak Koley and Manas Patra
rushed to Kunal’s house. They found wounded (extremely owing to use of blades)
Sushmita, learnt from her the reality and took her to the doctor’s clinic close
at hand. Zafar and Jehangir were later picked up by Hindu youths and beaten.
Police
arrived there soon and took Zafar and Jehangir into custody. However, the third
Muslim radical went missing.
To
release Islamists and also to teach the administration a lesson, instructions
were given through microphones in mosques to Islamists to protest. And within
the next 30 minutes, almost 5, 000 Muslim youths, heavily armed, reached the
spot. While some of them were from Agore, Sankrail, Chanpatala, Nazirgunj, Bakultala,
others were from Lichubagan and Metiaburuz in Kolkata. Muslims also attacked
Hindu-dominated Barwaritala. No less than 1, 000 of them went to Nazirgunj I/C
and released Zafar and Jehangir from there forcefully.
Sushmita
Das went to file an official FIR to Nazirgunj I/C but In-Charge there, Suman
Das, left no stone unturned to foil her attempt and ultimately, forced her to
write a wrong FIR. Strikingly, Pulak Koley and Manas Patra were arrested by the
police for disturbing communal harmony.
To
save themselves, Hindus in Barwaritala visited Subrata Kanrar, leader of
Trinamool Congress and also sub-head of Nimtala Panchpara Panchayat. Subrata
refused to listen to Hindus and instead, advised them to open the road built up
by Bosebabu for Muslims too. Hindus, to protest against all these, blocked the Howrah Alampur Road
Local
activists of Hindu Samhati geared up and owing to their insistence, Pulak Koley
and Manas Patra were released on April 10, 2013, next day. When Hindu Samhati
activists were in a meeting, Subrata Kanrar arrived there and asked Hindus to
open up the road for Muslims once more.
On
April 11, 2013, Thursday, Officer-in-Charge, P.S. Sankrail, sent a letter to
Hindu Samhati activists inviting them to attend a meeting to form a peace
committee comprising 10 members, 5 from Hindus and 5 from Muslims, to stop any
communal disturbance in the locality. The meeting started at 7 pm on the same
day and 4 Hindu activists went there to participate.
What
made the meeting especial was that representatives of all organizations and
political parties, except for Hindu Samhati, were representing Muslims
virtually. Subrata Kanrar of Trinamool
Congress threatened Hindu Samhati members before police officials there and
stated that he would open the aforementioned road for Muslims single-handedly
and by force.
Hindus,
in spite of all these, remained defiant.
As
part of the latest development, Muslims are evading the road made by Bosebabu
for Hindus in particular.
Hindu Samhati regularly
monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work
with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and
ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.
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