By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kolkata/Samserganj: To protest the killing of la ocal social activist who took leading part in a movement against establishing a liquor factory in the Muslim dominated area Samserganj, three blocks of the Murshidabad district called a strike demanding immediate arrest of culprits.
On 10 November reportedly local police found the dead body of activist Haji Akhtar Hossain on the highway.
Three blocks of Samserganj, Suti and Farraka maintained strike on Friday, November 16 called by Human rights organization Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Manch and SDPI of Murshidabad.
Local social activist of Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Manch Haji Akhtar Hossain mobilized local residents against a new liquor factory by a local Youth Congress president Sunil Chowdhury, whose father Jagannath Chowdhury is the Jangipur sub division president of Trinamul Congress.
Allegedly Sunil Chowdhury has been working to set up a country liquor distillery without required sanction from 2012, the location of which is very close to Lohapur High Madrasa, Chachanda BJ school, three primary School and four Mosque.
Akhtar was leading a sustained movement against the said liquor factory. Local residents are now alleging that, the associates of Sunil Chowdhury constantly threatened and pressurized him.
Although the police believe that it was an accident, local residents have insisted on some foul play and allege that it was a planned murder to eliminate the protest against liquor factory, thus accusing Sunil Chowdhury and his associates of murder.
On November 11 people had gathered and protested against the murder and blocked NH 34. Some people also allegedly pelted stones on police vehicles.
Police Super of Murshidabad Humayun Kabir said on prima facie it appears to be an accident. He also alleged that the property belonging to police and police personnel were attacked during stone pelting and hence they have arrested over 40 local residents involved in attack.
Bother of Akhtar Hossain Harun Al Rashid said, “Akhtar Hossain was returning home by a Motorbike after closing his medicine shop at Basudebpur on 10th November around 10 pm. After getting information of Akhtar Hossain death we quickly reached on under construction 34 National Highway, which is closed for vehicles and found the dead body of Akhtar Hossain. We recognized several injuries of heavy iron rod on his head, chest and backrest and his tongue was out. So, we think it is not a road accident, but a murder.”
The state president of SDPI Taidul Islam told TCN that before getting the postmortem report how police can be so sure that it was an accident. He alleged that while the police have arrested the protestors, the accused still free.
The state Jamat-E-Islami Hind President Muhammad Nuruddin has also demanded judicial enquiry and immediate arrest of the killer of Haji Akhtar Hossain.
Furfura Sharif Minority Development Organization has meanwhile filed a petition to the National Human Rights Commission Chairman at New Delhi for a special enquiry.
The Assistant Secretary of Furfura Sharif Minority Development Organization Abdul Matin said, “We are submitted to the NHRC with few demands.”
The demands are: 1. To remove S.P Murshidabad immediately whose integrity is doubtful. 2. Free and fair and impartial time bound enquiry commission to set up. 3. Immediate arrest of the main accused Mr. Sunil Chowdhury. 4. To release arrested innocent protestors against murder unconditionally 5. To do the needful so that illegal distillery cannot be set up by any person.