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 from 5 pm – 1 am on April 9, 2013.

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.