Cries for ‘protection’ punctuate uneasy calm in strife-torn pockets
Times of India | 14 April 2025
1234 Dhuliyan (Murshidabad): An uneasy calm prevailed on Sunday between Sajur More and Dak Bungalow More, the 7km stretch along the NH 12 that bore the brunt of clashes since Friday night, when protests against Centre's new waqf law spiralled into violence, killing three people. And though no fresh incident was reported, state police and BSF continued to receive " we need protection" calls across community lines.
Two local youths, Mizanur Rehman and Suleman Sk, remain missing; a 27-year-old, Shamsher Nader, who got hit by a bullet in his hips during Saturday's violence, was admitted to hospital on Sunday.
In Jatrabad under Dhuliyan Municipality, Pompa Das, in her 30s, was widowed on Friday after a mob hacked her husband Chandan (40) and father-in-law, Hargobindo (74) to death. Both men were idol-makers by profession. "There were 300-400 people who stormed into our home," Pompa told TOI. "We called cops, who arrived four hours later. By then, they had dragged my father-in-law and husband out to the streets and killed them. We saw the horror unfold from the roof, where we were hiding."
Since then, her mother-in-law, Rita, has neither spoken a word, nor eaten a morsel. Chandan's nephew Prasenjit said: "My grandfather asked the attackers which religion permitted them to loot and kill, which infuriated them. They said, ‘He is talking a lot', dragged him out and killed him. We stood watching helplessly." Pompa said they were scared and needed protection. The cops have posted a picket at their home.
Just 2km away in Kamat, Alauddin Sk's son, Suleman, has been missing since Saturday. "A few hundred people barged into our home on Friday night, armed with iron rods. They dragged my son out. There's no trace of him, cops say. We are scared and have sought protection," Alauddin said.
The other person missing is Mizanur Rehman, who works in a private company. Local councillor Md Kalirul Islam said both were dragged away by mobs at 4am on Saturday. Kaiful, brother of Shamsher, who is now in hospital with gunshot wounds, said Shamsher was standing on the roof when the bullet struck him. This happened when a team of cops reportedly fired to prevent a mob from breaking into the home of Kausher Ali, Farakka MLA Monirul Islam's brother. The mob was demanding retaliation after a local temple was ransacked.
At the Behrampore Hospital morgue, Saima Biwi, who had come to take the body of her 21-year-old son, Ijaz Ahmed, home, said: "My son worked in Chennai. He leaves behind a wife and small daughter. What will they eat now? Unless govt helps us, we are helpless. Central forces are patrolling now, and this has provided us some respite from the attacks. They should have come earlier."
Subrata Saha, a trader based in Dighri, said much of the violence could have been prevented, had only the cops responded sooner. "That night, police took five hours to reach. Had they reached on time, they wouldn't have had to conduct route marches today," Saha said.
Five wards under Shamsherganj PS bore the brunt of arson. The 7km stretch of the National Highway, which cuts through it, had at least 13 damaged and burnt vehicles lying on the road most of Sunday, until they were removed in the evening. Along with police vehicles, one ambulance and three buses were also burnt.
Preliminary reports had it that 80 houses were burnt, along with 20 commercial establishments, including a mall in Dhuliyan. On Sunday, almost every house in the zone was either deserted or locked. At some houses, it was evident that the occupants had left in a hurry, leaving their livestock unfed.
A section of residents claimed some temples had been wrecked. Jangipur MP Khallilur Rehman from TMC assured them that all temples would be rebuilt.