Hindus under Islamic Siege in Khoyrasole, Birbhum

With each day it passes, the saga of Hindu persecution engulfs one more area of a new district in Bengal and the agony of Hindus inhabiting village: Rasa, P.S. Kankartala, Block: Khoyrasole, District: Birbhum, equals the torment of Hindus living in village: Naliakhali and its adjoining villages, P.S. Canning, District: 24 Paraganas (South) – area worst affected due to persecutions by Muslim radicals and meekness of governance on February 19, 2013.

Conflict between Hindus living in village: Rasa and Muslims dominating the neighboring village: Sahapur is not new; the hostility regarding black market of coals (conducted by Muslim mafia groups in particular) and collection of coal dust or small residues of coals to use as fuels in households has been going on for years, if not more. Nevertheless, at each time, Muslim toughs, backed by inordinate wealth and illegal arms trade, win the game eventually.

On February 7, 2013, a Hindu woman who went to have a small amount of coals (to use those as fuels in her household) to the coal mines of AMTA Industrial Group (at 3 pm) was beaten almost to death by Muslims inducing Hindus to opt for a peaceful blockade of road. And this peaceful posture of Hindus was avenged by savagery of neighboring Muslims of village: Sahapur in every capacity – Hindu houses in village: Rasa were set to fire followed by molestations of Hindu women and beastly thrashing of Hindus in general. While more than 40 Hindu houses were burnt down, other households were looted largely making Hindus there maintain a hand-to-mouth existence now.

While the devastation was going on, Hindus phoned the local police station. Police came but remained silent perking Muslim attackers up altogether.

Hindus, getting enraged, burnt down vehicles of Muslim ruffians and started blocking the main road in the area from wee hours on February 8. Police, meanwhile, approached Hindus and asked them to lodge FIR instead of blockading the highway. But there was no approach from police and administration to take the Muslim attackers into the custody till 11 am. And at this time, a new attack was launched by Muslim radicals, armed with all forms of weapons ranging from firearms to bombs. This attack proved to be more devastating. Even if the police tried to prevent Muslim radicals from running riot, Islamists’ ferocity forced them to retreat.

Hriday Ghosh, a common Hindu individual, was shot and he is in a critical condition in a local hospital still. Hindus, at this time too, as a part of self-defence, made a counterattack but only with pebbles.   

Local MLA of Dubrajpur, Bijay Bagdi, visited the spot on February 8 at 9 am and as per Hindu villagers of Rasa, despite his sincere efforts, police and administration including District Magistrate, SDPO, O.C.  – Kankartala simply refused to talk to him and hence, his endeavor to save hapless Hindus there went unheeded. Police force did appear in the village but only at 3 pm and by that time the Islamic onslaught had ended.

On February 10, 2013, local BDO visited the village: Rasa to comprehend the devastation when Hindus, unitedly, submitted a memorandum to him to stop the Islamic ferocity in any way. It is to be noted, Muslim radicals of village: Sahapur submitted an FIR to P.S. Kankartala accusing Hindus of desecrating and burning down a mosque in the village. The charge, termed as a mere cock-and-bull story by several Muslims even in private talks, has been designed to foil any legal measure adopted by Hindus against them.

Nevertheless, how Muslims revere law and order in the state of Bengal was manifested on February 11 at night when a crude bomb, while it was being prepared, blasted injuring several Muslim toughs extremely.

A deep tension prevails the area while Hindus are seen fuming.