HC panel: Cops were ‘inactive, absent’ during ‘targeted’ Murshidabad attacks
KOLKATA: A three-member committee appointed by the Calcutta High Court has found that the Bengal Police were ‘completely inactive and absent’ during targeted mob attacks on homes and residents in Murshidabad’s Betbona area under the cover of anti-waqf law protests on April 11 and 12.
The report, submitted by the committee, highlights the presence of local Trinamool Congress councillor Mehoob Alam and Shamsherganj MLA Amirul Islam among the vandals who unleashed violence in the area. In one instance, the report details how miscreants destroyed pumps and tanks to ensure there was no water to save properties that were burned down. It also mentions how attackers poured kerosene on a pile of garments belonging to the women of a family and set them alight so that they didn’t have anything left to wear.
“The MLA saw the vandalism and went away. The violence continued on April 12,” the report states. Residents repeatedly called for police assistance on both days, but their pleas went unanswered, allowing multiple mobs to break into homes and target victims.
The committee, which included National Human Rights Commission registrar (law) Joginder Singh, West Bengal Legal Services Authority member-secretary Satya Arnab Ghosal, and West Bengal Judicial Service registrar Saugata Chakraborty, visited Betbona village and some areas of Shamsherganj. They identified 113 homes that were broken into, looted, and set ablaze. The report notes that these houses are visibly damaged (75-80% damage), totally inhabitable, and rehabilitation is not possible without thorough reconstruction.
Many of the victims the panel spoke to said they were still living with relatives after having lost property, cash, and official documents in the targeted violence. Around 29 shops were damaged in Dhuliyan’s Ghoshpara. The committee also noted that Betbona residents wanted permanent BSF camps and central armed forces.
Mobs from Shamsherganj, Hijaltala, Shiulitala, and Digri came with their faces masked, the victims told the panel. The Trinamool Congress government had blamed “outsiders” from across the border for the violence. The party said it would minutely scan the report, filed last week and made public on Wednesday, before putting out an official response.
“We will provide a detailed statement after analysing whether this report is unbiased, complete, reflects the actual situation, and reveals any hidden conspiracies. For now, we oppose BJP’s distorted facts,” party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said. “We are examining whether the report is comprehensive, accurately represents the ground situation of the area, or is merely accusatory, and whether it includes the full statement of the police administration. We will also see if the report mentions the involvement of outsiders. We are studying this from a legal perspective.”
Minister Sashi Panja said BJP’s propaganda on the Murshidabad riots was provocative and politically motivated. “What happened in Murshidabad is condemnable, nobody supports it. Following the unrest, the CM, state administration and police have fulfilled all their duties. Be it compensation or rehabilitation, the state govt has delivered on its responsibilities. There have been arrests and a probe,” Panja said.