All-India Matua Mahasangha chief and Union minister Shantanu Thakur has threatened to take “appropriate measures” on Saturday if the state police do not act against goons who allegedly assaulted devotees in a bus near Barasat’s Kazipara in the small hours of Thursday.
A number of devotees from Garia, Narendrapur and Sonarpur of South 24-Parganas were going by bus to the Matua Maha Dharma Mela 2022 at Thakurnagar in North 24-Parganas when they were allegedly waylaid on Thursday by over a dozen robbers, who had placed logs on the road. They tried to enter the bus but were met with resistance. They then attacked the vehicle with stones and entered the bus, sources said.
They assaulted the devotees with stones and sharp-edged weapons. Devotees alleged that the goons also molested the women in the bus. At least 10 persons were injured and taken to the Habra state general hospital. Doctors said two devotees, Suman Halder and Bidhan Halder, turned critical and were shifted to NRS Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta.
One of the devotees said: “We had started for Thakurnagar in a bus from Narendrapur around 11pm on Wednesday. Around 1am on Thursday, over a dozen goons blocked our bus at Kazipara rail gate with logs, apparently to loot the passengers. They tried to force their way into the bus. As the gates of the bus were locked, they began hurling stones and we had no option but to open the gates.”
“Around 10 goons entered the bus and began molesting women in a bid to rob cash, jewellery and phones. The men tried to resist the goons, but were beaten up mercilessly. Suman Halder and Bidhan Halder were dragged out of the bus, assaulted and left unconscious in a pool of blood,” the devotee recounted.
Angry over the attack, BJP MP and Union minister of state Shantanu Thakur said: “We have lodged a complaint with the police but have no faith in them. We have told the police to arrest the culprits within 24 hours… else we will take steps and the police administration will be solely responsible for it.”
Accusing the police of negligence, he said: “Cops knew the Kazipura rail gate area is vulnerable from the law-and-order point of view. They did not take precautions.”
Barasat police have begun a case based on a complaint lodged by one of the devotees.
Four persons were arrested till Friday afternoon.
Police sources claimed that a gang led by Izazul Seikh had led the attack.
“We have identified the gang and arrested four of them so far. We are hopeful of arresting the others soon,” an investigating officer said.
As the news of the attack spread, Matuas blocked railway tracks at Habra station on Friday demanding arrest of the culprits. Train services in the Sealdah-Bongaon section were disrupted for over an hour.
Former Trinamul MP Mamatabala Thakur, chief of a rival faction in the Matua community, however, claimed a group of youths attacked the bus carrying devotees following a road accident. “I spoke to senior police officers of Barasat police district and asked them to arrest the culprits immediately.”
Governor unwell
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, slated to visit the Matua festival in Thakurnagar on Friday, had to return to Calcutta from Habra on Jessore Road after he complained of illness. Sources said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had enquired about Dhankhar’s health.
