Tribals protest against police inaction, demand arrests

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 16 AUG: Hundreds of tribals assembled and staged an agitation to protest against police inaction in Habibpur today.

Two citizens’ committees called "Habibpur Nagarik Samiti" and "Bamongola Anunnata Adivasi Jiban Jibika Raksha Committee" united to stage a demonstration demanding the removal of the inspector-in-charge of Habibpur police station and immediate arrests of the accused who had allegedly raped a minor tribal girl and drove away the local CPI-M MLA.

A few months back a minor tribal girl was allegedly gangraped but police still could not arrest the accused persons. Protesting the police inaction, the tribals blocked roads for more than five hours after the father of the victim was threatened to withdraw his complaint against the alleged persons, who are believed to be backed by the CPI-M.

The tribals also got into a tussle with some block level CPI-M leaders on the issue and confined them. Police finally arrived to rescue the CPI-M leaders.

The district secretary of the CPI-M had summoned the leaders and finally suggested to them to lodge a general diary against the tribal who had hackled them.

A few days ago the North Malda MP Miss Mausam Noor backed the tribals in staging another agitation in front of the Habibpur police station demanding imediate arrests of the accused persons.

However, CPI-M MLA from Habibpur, Mr Khagen Murmu, claimed that the accused persons belong to the Congress. But the leaders of the two committees Mr Nathaniel Baske, Mr Sibananda Soren, Mr Salko Baske and Mr Mihir Chanre were determined to continue their agitation programme against the police inaction along with the ruling political party leaders.

The tribals had invited political leaders, irrespective of their political identities, to join their movement. The Congress had backed the movement. Besides other political leaders including the CPI-ML Liberation today joined their agitation. The district CPI-M is monitoring the situation, having been embarrassed by the stir in Habibpur, another Red bastion.