Police inaction, communal bias intensified Murshidabad violence!!
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New Delhi: In the matter of the violence that broke out in Murshidabad, West Bengal, in April, during the protest against the Waqf Law, an investigation report has found that there were serious human rights violations occurred there. The report found that police inaction and communal bias in Samsherganj were responsible for the human rights violations. The report, a joint investigation conducted by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights and the Bandh Mukti Committee, contains serious findings and describes the violence that took place on April 11 and 12 as mainly a result of police inaction.
According to it, hundreds of people had to be evacuated to ensure safety during the protests against the Waqf Act amendment. Three people were killed, several people, including police officers, were injured, and villages were set on fire in the violence.
The victims unanimously said that the violence could have been prevented if the police had taken strong action at the beginning of the conflict. Two of the victims, Hargobind Das and his son Chandan Das, died after waiting for medical attention for three hours after receiving fatal injuries, the report said.
It also raises questions about the role of the Border Security Force (BSF) in preventing the violence. The third victim of the violence, Ijaz Ahmed, was shot dead by the paramilitary force. Also, at least 13 Muslims got seriously injured in BSF firing.
The report highlighted that some of the BSF personnel were wearing sandals, which is a sight never seen before. It is suspected that people with RSS-BJP connections stealthily joined the BSF lines wearing the force's uniform.
According to the report, police also targeted minor Muslims and people belonging to the community were taken into custody without following procedures. Also, they arrested people on suspicion without arrest warrants or charge sheets. The report brings the details of police brutality and custodial abuse to light.
As part of the joint investigation, the fact-finding team examined 300 FIRs. It found that most FIRs are based on complaints of a similar nature, with only the names of the people changing. The complaints are full of fabricated allegations and communal bias. The arrests were made on false and anti-Muslim complaints. It is clear from the information in the FIRs that there was a deliberate attempt to spread tension between the Muslim and Dalit communities. The report also points out that these are tactics implemented by the RSS and Sangh Parivar organizations across the country.
The fact-finding team demanded a judicial inquiry based on the joint investigation report. It also demanded that those injured in the BSF firing be given appropriate compensation, those detained on false charges be released, and legal aid be provided to those in custody.
The clashes broke out after police stopped Indian Secular Front (ISF) activists who were on their way to participate in a rally in central Kolkata against the Waqf Amendment Act. Two people were arrested in the murder of Hargobindo Das and his son Chandan Das. In total, 210 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Murshidabad.
