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West Bengal communal riots: Will life be the same again?

That's what residents of Banerjee Para and Munshipara in West Bengal are asking. It's 20 days since a communal riot has happened in these areas and many have lost their houses and properties.

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Properties worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed during the communal riots that took place in Howrah in December 13, 2016
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For around 70 residents in areas like Banerjee Para and Munshipara at Dhulagari in Howrah district, 35 km from Kolkata, the new year was no occasion for celebrations.

It is 20 days since their houses were set afire. It all started on December 13, during a procession on the occasion of Milad-Un-Nabi. While the police are tight-lipped, residents are giving two versions. Those who took out the procession say that though it was a peaceful one, stones were pelted on them. "We used loudspeakers during the procession. But they were turned off when we were passing by a nearby temple. Still they insisted we take a detour. When we tried to reason it out, they started throwing stones at us," Md Ruhul Amin, a local, said.

Members of the other community say that they were targeted without provocation. Said Durga Mondal, a local: "There was an an unwritten rule here that people should keep away from other communities' places of worship during religious processions. This was violated on December 13 and that sparked the riot."

Properties worth lakhs of rupees belonging to both communities were destroyed. Kankan Mallav, a housewife in the fifties, said that she had lost everything after rioters burnt down her two-storey house. She took refuge in one of her relatives' house in the vicinity but keeps on returning to her place. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing had been spared. I was asked to leave the house on that day, and as soon as I left, people doused it with petrol and set it afire. I didn't even have another set of clothes to wear. The house was soon engulfed in a huge ball of fire, and by the time firefighters came and brought it under control, shells of concretes started coming off the ceiling," she told DNA.

Neighbours said that Kankan had lost her mental sanity and roams about the burnt house for hours together, muttering to herself. "Her sister-in-law, at whose place she, her husband and son had taken refuge, takes her back. My husband and son are embroiders and are now out of business. I expect people to return soon, demanding compensation," she said.

As many as 24 residential units have been razed in another area. Those were rented out to people who had come to the district from across the state. Naru Gopal Das from East Midnapore district is one. He works at the vegetable market here and had rented a place which was destroyed in the riot. "The experience was spine-chilling. I was staying there alone at that time and left the place in the nick of time," he said.

In Banerjee Para, many have taken shelter in temples and are living on donations from the neighbourhood. "We have helped them with woollen clothes and blankets and have pooled money to provide for food for those who have lost homes and have been forced to live in temples," said a 50-plus resident here.

"Rapid Action Force (RAF) and police personnel are in the area and a fire engine and a water tender have been kept in standby, said Surajit Khanra," a local and a victim.

In Munshipara, some people claim that several factories too were burnt down and that has left many jobless. "My embroidery unit has been destroyed. My total loss is about Rs 10 lakh," said SK Kamaluddin, a resident.

Most shops in the adjacent market are still shut. "I don't know if I should open my shop. I have set it up with a lot of hard work and now I don't want it to be a target of any such violence," said one shop owner.

Among those whose property were burnt is Asim Khanra, a member of the Dhulagari Gram Panchayat. "My house was robbed and burnt and my losses are about Rs 8 lakh," he told DNA. The state government has announced a compensation package of Rs 35,000 to each family. "Since I am a Gram Panchayat member, I cannot even question the government," he said. He said that he had talked about it to TMC vice-president Mukul Roy when he visited the area. "But he too didn't do much," he said.

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