Cow smuggling at the behest of criminals from Bangladesh entering the Indian mainland through the porous international border often and the havoc wreaked by them is known to all, let alone Bengal. But what astounds one is the illegality that has been unrestrained for ages and despite administration’s hallowed pledges to inhibit this threat to the national security, all remain same. How these criminals are secured and aggressive these days can be found from the ghastly murder of a constable of RPF, Nirmal Ghosh in his own home in the village of Angrail within Gaighata police station’s jurisdiction near Bangaon in the North 24 Paraganas district.
According to villagers, Nirmal Ghosh was killed by a team of cow smugglers hailing from Bangladesh on May 15, 2014, at night. While he was grabbed by the smugglers, his elder brother or Paran Ghosh tried best to save him. But as smugglers stabbed Paran also with choppers ferociously he ultimately failed to save his brother. Even if Paran Ghosh managed to save his life, he is admitted to the Bangaon hospital and is in a critical condition. Hindu women in the family were not spared from molestation also, common trait of daily life here. Locals claim that above 200 criminals with lethal weapons crossed the Ichamati River in the night to murder Nirmal fast.
As per sources, cattle smugglers from Bangladesh cross Ichamati River to enter the Indian mainland almost on a daily basis and this journey remains between Putkhali in Bangladesh to Angrail in Bengal and they prefer to tread residences of Hindus with cattle. All these are done to insult Hindus and to inflict a terror among them. Thanks to the apathy of administration, Hindus can’t protest even. What made Islamists target Nirmal and his family? As said by villagers, on May 14, while walking through the residential property of Nirmal Ghosh, Islamist smugglers pocketed his cell phone. Since Paran knew a few of these smugglers, they were asked to return the mobile phone without delay. On Wednesday at 10 pm, a few smugglers dared to attack Paran before his own residence and when he raised an alarm, neighboring Hindus rushed to his residence and got hold of one criminal red-handed. Dreaded cattle smugglers could not accept this defeat by a Kafir Hindu and so around 11 pm on May 15, more than 200 radical Muslim criminals and cattle smugglers with lethal weapons crossed the Ichamati River and attacked the Ghosh family.
Their sole intention was to wipe off the entire Hindu family and this can be discerned from the wave of attacks. Making use of darkness, Islamists went on firing indiscriminately and injured Paran Ghosh with a sharp weapon. Despite BSF personnel were informed, assailants left the place prior to their arrival. Albeit injured Paran Ghosh managed to save his life, Nirmal Ghosh turned into an easy prey to attacks. Soon, his senseless body was found in the field and once villagers took him to the Bangaon municipality hospital, he was declared as brought dead. Arindam Mukherjee, officer-in-charge of Gaighata police station carried out an investigation in the night. Locals blocked the Ramnagar Road in the vicinity on May 16 demanding arrest of criminals. Investigation is going on still. But the future of Nirmal Ghosh’s widow and his bereaved children remains unknown.
Undoubtedly, neither the Bengal government has the will nor the capacity to forbid cattle smuggling and its custodians from neighboring Bangladesh to enter India. The onus, therefore, is on the incumbent government at the Center with pledges to bring pink revolution to a halt.