05-West Bengal.pdf - People's watch

FF Code : W.B./ MON (Murari Dey)/
District – Hooghly/ July – 15/07/08 /Sl. NO. – 80
Victim(s) : Arjun Dhara
Perpetrator(s) : 1)Priyabrata Baksi, OIC 2)Police 3)Kalyan Mukhopadhyay, SDPO
Location : Singur, Hooghly
Date of incident : 27/06/2008
Case Details:
Victim Arjun Dhara, aged 27, is a resident of Khaser Bheri village, falling under the jurisdiction of Singur
Police Station. The victim belongs to the scheduled caste community. On 27 th June 2008 the farmers
of the said village including Arjun went on a protest against Tata Small Car Project. The protesters went
to break the boundary wall of the project area. The OIC of Singur Police Station arrived at the place but
couldn’t succeed in dispersing the protesters. He called the SDPO for help who arrived with 5 lady
police and 30 armed police officers. The police used tear gas, rubber bullets and wooden logs to
disperse the mob. Six agitators including Arjun were severely injured. Six policemen were also injured
during the assault. Both the groups were hospitalized and received treatment. The Head of the Gram
Panchayat lodged a complaint on 16 th July 2008 to the SP of Chinsurah. The police on the other hand
have filed cases against the protesters but none of them are arrested. But they state that the victims
might be arrested at any time.
FF Code : W.B./MON (Julfikar Ali)
District- Murshidabad/July-29/07/2008/Sl.No.-209
Victim(s) : (Late) Shilajit Mondal
Perpetrator(s) : 1) M.M. Islam, BSF Constable
2) J.R. Chowdhury, BSF Commander
Location : Char Rajanagar village, Murshidabad
Date of incident : 23/07/2008
Case Details:
Victim Shilajit Mondal, aged 15 was a dropped out student residing in Rajanagar village, falling under the
jurisdiction of Rajanagar Police Station. On 23 rd July 2008 few smugglers were trying to cross the
border with some bags of fertilizers. The victim was at that time sitting in front of his house, which was
located beside the main road. Islam, a BSF Constable came that way and inquired Shilajit about the
smugglers in hindi. Since the victim was not familiar with the language he couldn’t reply properly. Being
enraged at this the constable dragged the victim and started beating him. As the people rushed to the
spot hearing the victim’s cry the constable shot Shilajit with his pistol, following which he fled from the
place. Kanai Mondal and other villagers admitted the victim in the hospital but his health started
deteriorating. Finally Shilajit breathed him last. The local people assembled in the road showing agitation
against the BSF, but the Company Commandant fired 11 rounds of bullets upon them to stop the
agitation. It came to light that Islam had shot the victim in his fury for he had not received bribe from the
smugglers who crossed the border that day. Upon the complaint lodged by the mother of the deceased
a case was started against Constable Islam, but Berhampore Police Station stated the death of Shilajit
as an unnatural one.
West Bengal
490
Annual Report on Torture
2007