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‘Cops targeting Basirhat peacekeepers’

Officials at Basirhat PS says that 84 people have been arrested on charges of rioting, related to the July-4 incident

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Md Habibur Rahman, father of Meskatur
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Nearly a month-and-half after the Basirhat communal unrest, some of the locals have alleged that police have been harassing the families of those who played a crucial role in restoring peace in the region.

“We have been striving to restore peace, and even collected money to for those who suffered losses. Now, these people are being sought by police and their family members are being harassed,” said Md Irshad Ali Gaji, a resident.

He cited the names of Meskatur Rahaman, Md Shah Alam, Sirajul Islam and Riaj Hassan, saying that while Hassan is the general secretary of the students’ union of Basirhat College, the other three are employees of the college who assisted the cops in lifting road blockade that was put up during the violence.

“Now, the police come to their homes in the night and enquire about their whereabouts,” he said.

Md Habibur Rahman, the 68-year-old father of Meskatur, said he hardly has any idea where his son is. “My son is known to help people in the locality. He helped so many during distress. I don’t know why are the police looking for him. He has stopped going to work as well. If this continues, the sole bread-earner of our family of six, loses his job. We will be in a lot of trouble,” Habibur said.

He added that while offenders are roaming around scott free, innocents like his son are being targeted.

Gaji also said that looking at the deteriorating health of Habibur, he was apprehensive that it might take an ugly turn if his son didn’t come back. “There was a person in the neighbourhood, Haji Md Ali Gaji, whose medicine shop was set afire. A lot of cash was gutted too. We tried to pacify him, but he was so upset with the loss that he died soon after. We are seeing the same symptoms in Meskatur’s father,” Gaji said.

Imran Hossain, another local said, “There is a lot of infighting between TMC workers here. Some, with the help of the cops, are trying to implicate the innocent youths,” Hossain said.

Officials at Basirhat PS said that 84 people have been arrested on charges of rioting, related to the July-4 incident. “Meskatur and the others are being sought for questioning. Who said they are considered as suspects?” said C Sudhakar, SP, North-24 Parganas.

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