Uncertainty, Apprehension In Village Sheltering Murshidabad Violence Affected

Malda: Residents of Parlalpur village in Kaliachak 3 block are living in fear since violence erupted in Murshidabad's Dhulian a few days back.

The village is separated from Dhulian by Ganga river and its residents have been staying aware for the last several days to ensure those who had arrived to their place after the violence are not sent back without adequate security measures. The villagers want President's rule to be imposed in the state to restore peace. Residents of Paralapur travel to Dhulian for various tasks including shopping for essential goods because it is difficult to reach Malda city.

People affected by violence started arriving in Parlalpur a week back with the help of BSF. The villagers took the violence affected people to the village high school where they were taken care of by administrative officials. However, for the last three days, police have not been allowing the villagers to enter the school. The administration is preventing people who have taken shelter from even talking to anyone. This has created a rift between the police and the administration and the residents of Parlalpur.

The villagers are satisfied with the daily patrolling of the police and BSF personnel in the village, arrival of administrative officials and even the Governor to the village. But the conditions and the uncertainty has them living in fear. Most of the villagers are not willing to talk to the media. A few who wished to talk, made a condition that they would not show their faces on camera. One such resident is Agomani Sarkar, a housewife whose residence is not far from the school. Asked how is she spending her days, she said, "We all sympathize with the homeless people. But our daily activities have been greatly impacted by their presence. The children's studies have been disrupted. The villagers are the service of the violence affected. They buy everything for them from their own money. I have no objection to helping people. But I have to do my own work too. I can't explain that to the people of the house."

Residents of Paralapur look inside the school where the violence affected have taken shelter (ETV Bharat)

Basanti Mondal she has been visiting the school every morning to see whether someone of importance has arrived there. "The days are passing by somehow. But the problem starts as soon as night descends. There is no way to leave the house. It was very hot on Wednesday. I went out of the house for a while after dinner. Suddenly, the light from a police torch fell on my face. I went back to the house. Some police personnel also came to my house and asked me why I went out of the house at night. This is my house, my place in front of the house, do I have to ask the police even to stay at my own place. I have already told the policemen that," she said.

Shiuli Sarkar, with some courage, spoke in front of the camera. She said, “When these people came from across the Ganga after leaving their homes, the people of this village gave them shelter and kept them safe. After two days, the administration took charge of the affected people. But no one from outside is allowed to enter the school. Some people have returned to their homes from here. Some are still there. Their houses have been gutted. Where would they go now? A BSF camp needs to be set up there for them. Now the administration is busy removing the affected people from here."

Shiuli said the villagers would not allow the affected to be taken back to the places unless adequate security is provided to them. "We kept watch all night on Friday so that the administration doestake advantage of our slumber and take these people back," she said.

Ujjwal Biswas due to the arrival of the violence-affected people from Dhulian, he and others in the village are not able to send vegetables produced back home to the market. "We send vegetables to Dhulian market only because the cost of transporting them to Malda is higher. Now the movement of goods has completely stopped," he said. Biswas said he wished the violence-affected left his village but not without adequate security.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate Nitin Singhania said, "The situation in Murshidabad is now completely normal. Adequate security arrangements have been made there. The displaced people are trying to return home. Several people returned home on Saturday. We hope everyone from Parlalpur High School camp will return to their homes soon".
He said police are on alert to prevent any violence in Malda district.

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