Post Poll attacks in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Since the Lok Sabha polls, post-poll attacks in almost all districts of West Bengal have reached a alarming proportions. At least three CPI(M) activists and sympathizers have been killed in the attack, another student succumbed to physical and psychological trauma after attack. Several MLAs and former MLAs have been assaulted. Number of Party offices have been attacked, ransacked, destroyed and burnt. More than 1000 Left supporters have been injured in these attacks. Several hundreds have been forced to leave their villages in the face of such violence.Suryakanta Misra, opposition leader has written a letter to the Chief Minister to immediately halt such attacks by the ruling party and restore peace in the state. 

Following are major incidents: 

Murders 

Bela Dey (65) breathed her last in Kalyani Hospital on 13th May following physical attack on her on 11th May night. On the eve of elections, TMC goons entered her house in Chakdaha Thakur Colony and attacked her two sons as they were working as CPI(M) volunteers in the elections. Their mother tried to save them and was beaten up too, causing serious injuries. Bela Dey still went to vote and her health deteriorated. She was hospitalized and expired on the following day. 

Just after declaration of result, TMC goons attacked the house of Kajal Mallik (45)  in Manteswar of Burdwan. He was forcibly taken out and brutally beaten to death. Even his deadbody remained there untouched for hours because of TMC threat. 

In Bohula village in Ketugram in Burdwan district villagers resisted loot of votes on the election day. TMC gangs tried to capture booths but failed. As a result CPI(M) candidate took lead from the area. On 21st May armed TMC gang attacked the village. The house of AIKS area secretary Enayet Karim was attacked. TMC goons attempted to kill Karim when Ashmira Begam, his wife and two times elected Panchayat member tried to stop the attackers. The goons severely stabbed her causing death. 

In Bhagat Singh colony in Jadavpur, TMC  goons attacked the house of Rabindranath Banerjee. He was not there in the house and the hoodlums physically tortured his aged mother and daughter Moumita Banerjee. Moumita, a student of class 12, became seriously ill and expired after she was admitted in hospital. 

West Midnapore 

On 12th  May night, TMC goons attacked Radhanagar village in Khragpur rural block. They mercilessly ransacked and destroyed 15 houses in this tribal dominant village. In Keshpur 150 families, who were forced to leave villages, returned to vote. Their houses were attacked and they were forced to flee again. Attacks took place in Kanchantala, Jhalka, Ayodhyabar and other villages. 

In Kespur itself 10 party offices were attacked, four of them burnt. 1700 people were forced to leave their houses. More than 150 houses were attacked. Party zonal office in Goaltore was destroyed. MLA Rameswar Dolui was attacked. 

South 24 Parganas 

In Basanti in South 24 Parganas TMC goons attacked Left supporters’ houses and even beaten up Suraiya Laskar, a pregnant woman.  In Jibantala 12 houses of CPI(M) supporters were ransacked. In Raidighi, number of CPI(M) supporters were attacked and hospitalized. In Kulpi, CPI(M) activists were attacked in the night before the counting and 6 of them were seriously injured and had to be hospitalized. 

Kolkata 

In Kolkata, CPI(M) zonal office in Kasba in South Kolkata, Party office in Ward no 55. Just after declaration of result numerous offices of CPI(M) were ransacked in Beleghata, Kashipur, Maniktala area. In Kankurgachi, a charitable heath centre was destroyed. Several CPI(M) workers have been attacked. Forward Block councilor’s house in Beleghata was attacked. 

North 24 Parganas 

In Naihati in North 24 Parganas houses of CPI(M) activists were attacked. Those attacked included an ex army man.  In Patipukur , TMC goons attacked the youths of the area who worked for CPI(M) and at least ten people were severely injured. After the results, Party offices were ransacked in Jagaddal, Garulia, Shyamnagar. Office of IPTA in Barrackpore was destroyed. In Manirampur, family members of CPI(M) worker Subhasish Basu were severely beaten. 

In Basirhat, house of elected Panchayat member Shanti Sadhak was attacked and his daughter-in-law faced molestation. In Habra, four offices of CITU were forcibly occupied. 

East Midnapore 

In Patashpur, Khejuri in East Midnapore CPI(M) activists were attacked before counting. 

Hooghly 

In Arambagh, poultry farm of CPI(M) leader Prabhat Roy was burnt on eve of counting. As the results came in TMC goons attacked CPI(M) Hooghly-Chuchura zonal committee offices. Ex-MP Rupchand Pal, CPI(M) state committee member Mitali Kumar and Left Front candidate in Hooghly parliamentary constituency Pradip Saha were rescued narrowly. The Party office was ransacked. Party offices in Chandan Nagar, Konnagar were attacked subsequently. Houses of numerous CPI(M) activists were attacked including the house of DYFI state Leader Paramita Saha. In Arambagh, houses of CPI(M) leader and ex-MLA Benoy Datta, Party leader Mozammel Hossain were attacked.  CPI(M) local committee secretary Sandip samanta was beaten up in Purshura. Party office was burnt in Nakunda in Goghat, in Khanakul West. In Arambagh 24 houses were ransacked. Numerous offices of DYFI, AIDWA were burnt. 

Howrah 

In North Howrah, CPI(M) local committee secretary’s house was attacked even when the counting was on. His family members reported to police. And within hours more ferocious attack took place. Furniture and windows were destroyed. The family members narrowly escaped. CITU union office in Malipachghara was burnt. In Amta, AIKS office was fully destroyed. In Dakkhin Masri in Uluberia, a heavily armed gang of TMC attacked the village. Hundreds of villagers run away and on the way some of them were caught and suffered serious attack. An entire village has become vacant following the attack. In another attack, Naba Das, a CPI(M) worker was attacked in Uluberia and his left eye has been damaged. 

Darjeeling 

In Phullbari, offices of CPI(M) and mass organizations were ransacked. CPI(M) office in Phulbari was again demolished on 22nd May, this time with a bulldozer machine. TMC flags were erected in the site. 

Jalpaiguri 

In Lataguri in Jalpaiguri a book bank was destroyed. CPI(M) Jalpaiguri zonal secretary Jiten Das was injured in TMC attack. Rajganj zonal office was ransacked on 22nd May. 

Coochbehar 

In Sitalkuchi, Dinhata, Natabari , North Coochbehar CPI(M) and Forward Block offices were attacked. Many CPIM) leaders’ houses were attacked. In Foolbari, CPI(M) activist Ranjit Burman was taken out from a neighbour’s house and brutally beaten. He was hospitalized in serious condition. Two CPI(M) offices in Foolbari and Nabaganj market were fully destroyed, villagers in 19 booth areas were attacked as TMC suffered defeat in those areas. In Coochbehar district, 150 houses were ransacked, hundreds of bighas of land of Left Front supporters have been forcibly occupied, shops of many Left supporters have been forcibly closed. More than 50 people have been injured in post-result attack. 290 incidents of attack have been reported. 

Burdwan 

In Burdwan, CPI(M) Raina and Khandagosh zonal committee offices were ransacked. These two offices were destroyed and partly burnt before the elections too. In Khandagosh, CPI(M) Palampur local committee office was burnt. CPI(M) district secretariat member and former MLA Tapash Chatterjee was seriously injured in attack on him in Satgechia. Kanksa zonal committee office was attacked three times within hours and destroyed. 10 Party workers including Party district secretariat member Biresh Chatterjjee were injured.