December, 2013
District: North 24 Parganas;
Police Station: Sandeshkhali;
Village: Mekuakhali Bhuiyanpara
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In the middle of 2013, several Hindu members of the infamous Sandeshkhali area don Shahjahan Sheikh’s gang deserted him. Reason ? Amiya Bhuiyan and his friends left the criminal group as they grew unhappy with the persecution meted out to Hindus in the locality. Recently, only Hindus and Hindu owned businesses were being targeted exclusively by Sheikh. As an example, his men would poison and destroy Hindu owned fish ponds, terrorize the Hindu owners, chase them out, and then sell only to Muslims. Therefore, the Hindu gang members felt that the Muslim gangster was disenfranchising Hindus only, and benefiting the Muslims in the area, and not religiously neutral, and this led to an exodus by Hindus from the group.
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On 16th December 2013, a Hindu Samhati team visited Mekuakhali Bhuiyanpara village accompanied by Dilip Mehta, Hindu activist and leader of Hindu Mahasabha of America. Mr. Mehta is from the USA and is an active Hindu Samhati supporter. That very night, at 11 PM, Amiya Bhuiya was arrested by the Sandeshkhali police, reason given was old cases against him. The local Hindus however, feel that the real reason for his arrest was Mr Bhuiyan arranging and holding Hindu Samhati program in the said village.
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On 17th morning around 9:30 AM, near Rajbari area of Sandeskhali Police Station, at the Basanti Highway, a few thousand Hindus, including a large female contingent, held a peaceful demonstration. This was in protest of the unreasonable arrest of Amiya Bhuiyan the night before. At that time, a huge police force accompanied by Basirhat sub divisional police officer, Abhijit Banerjee confronted the protesters using lathi charge, etc. The Hindus were hit with lathi sticks by the police, including the Hindu women. Incidentally, there were no female police present in the charge. Eleven persons were arrested, seven were women.
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A Hindu woman protester named Rumpa Bhuiyan was seriously injured by the police lathi charge assault. She was admitted in Minakha government hospital. No medical report was given to any of the Hindu victims (at the orders of the Muslim pressured administration and police). Hindu Samhati activists took the victims to Rajbari medical college, and they were given primary medical care there.
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This is a a serious human rights offense by West Bengal police. Example of Lathi charge assault on females by male police officers.
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The Hindu residents of Sandeshkhali area are totally shocked and disturbed at this attitude of the local police and administration and the step motherly behavior of the West Bengal government towards the Hindus.
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On 20th Dec 2013 Hindu Samhati legal team got bail for Amiya Bhuiyan and he was released by Basirhat lower court.