Students near Patmoni in North Dinajpur blocked National Highway 34 to protest the killing of two students. (Express photo by Subham Dutta)
An eight-year-old boy wearing a black badge was standing in the middle of the NH-34, near Patmoni in North Dinajpur, forming a blockade with around 30 other children whose ages ranged from 8 to 16. On either side of the children were rows of vehicles. The children were holding bamboo sticks with cardboard placards that read, “Chattra hottar pratibade ajker bandh safal korun (make this bandh a success as a protest to student killings)”.
About 5 km away on the same highway, near Tungidighi, a group of youths stood with bows, arrows, swords and axes. They chanted slogans as a large contingent of policemen watched on. Every now and then, the police tried to chase them away — unsuccessfully.
BJP supporters with weapons blocked the road at Pundidighi in North Dinajpur. (Express photo by Subham Dutta)
Both Patmoni and Tungidighi are around 30 km away from Islampur, where tension has prevailed since two 19-year-old college students died of bullet injuries following a clash between police and local residents on September 20. Following the clash, which was over the appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhit high school, local residents and the families of the deceased claimed that the police were behind the shooting. The police and local administration had denied the accusations and blamed “outsiders” for the deaths. BJP called for a statewide 12-hour bandh in the state on Wednesday to protest the deaths.
“I have heard students were killed. I don’t know how or where. Seniors rounded us (children) up and told us to block the road in protest. Can’t you see we are wearing black ribbons?” said the eight-year-old boy.
The adults who were with the children refused to divulge their names but said they were local BJP leaders. “School students are killed. What is wrong if children protest?” said a man who was leading the children up and down the highway.
The children were holding bamboo sticks with cardboard placards. (Express photo by Subham Dutta)
Meanwhile, in Islampur, three government buses were ransacked and one was set on fire by bandh supporters. The area witnessed sporadic clashes between BJP supporters and police, with the former seen lobbing stones at men in uniform, who then resorted to lathicharge.
Police sources said over 133 people, many of them BJP supporters, were arrested in the district, while two police personnel were injured. In many places, tree trunks and tyres were placed on the road and set on fire, while protesters manned the areas round the clock, not allowing vehicles to pass. Shops and business establishments in most parts of the district, be it Raigunj, Dalkhola or Islampur, remained shut.
The Trinamool Congress also organised a public meeting at Islampur bus stand, where state Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikar was present.
“Our party and government are with the families of the youths. After a few days, I will visit their homes in Daribhit. However, BJP has brought in miscreants from Bihar who covered their faces and fired bullets. Police did not fire at the students. I ask people to thwart such designs of BJP to create disturbance in the area,” said Adhikari.
Police patrol the Howrah bridge during the 12-hour called by the BJP, in Kolkata on Wednesday. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Meanwhile, BJP general secretary of North Dinajpur, Surojit Sen, said the bandh was a success in the area.
“Our bandh is a success here. People are with us. It is not unnatural for students to actively support the bandh since it is their issue. Hundreds of students supported us and hit the streets. Police arrested many of our workers and leaders. Debjit Sarkar, BJP Yuva Morcha state president who was in Islampur, was arrested,” said Sen.
Sen also claimed that the Trinamool was responsible for the violence.
“It was Trinamool Congress goons who set the buses on fire. Later, after their public meeting in Islampur, shops were vandalized and bullets were fired. Suvendu Adhikari and other leaders are instigating violence in Islampur,” he alleged.
Police arrested a BJP supporter at Central Avenue. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
In Daribhit village, BJP supporters and villagers were seen patrolling the roads and setting up pickets.
“The family members of the two youths who were shot dead by police are also with us in the protest. Nothing will move here. We demand a CBI probe,” said Tarun Mondol, a BJP worker who was seen manning a road blockade.