Statesman News Service
MALDA, April 22: Export of goods to Bangladesh was suspended for a few hours at Mahadipur land customs station in English Bazaar today, when a lorry loaded with onions was looted and set on fire, after the vehicle killed one person.
One Sirajul Sheikh (45) was killed at Mahadipur, close to Loton Masjid, the historical ruins of Gour, when the onion-laden lorry lost control due to bad road conditions at around eight a.m.
After the death of the cyclist, a resident of nearby Kadamtala village, angry locals rushed to the spot and turned violent. Sirajul had been on his way to visit his mango orchards.
“Taking advantage of the chaotic situation, local anti-socials looted onions from the lorry and it was set on fire,” claimed Mr Ujjal Saha, a senior member of the Mahadipur exporters’ association.
Fire tender rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire, but before their arrival the lorry was completely gutted. The driver of the lorry surrendered before a police station after the accident.
Retaliating against the protesters' highhandedness, local exporters staged another agitation, suspending export to Bangladesh and demanding the arrest of the criminals and recovery of the export items.
On behalf of a Kolkata-based exporter, the local exporters lodged a complaint with the police. The exporters lifted the suspension of border trade after police assured them that they would nab the criminals who looted the lorry.
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