Reprisal fear triggers exodus of Bengalis in Erasama village

JAGATSINGHPUR: As many as 80 members of 17 Bengali families of Erasama’s Pitapani were forced to flee the village on Thursday after coming under attack from a group of villagers, comprising fishermen, over murder of a woman.

The two groups were at loggerheads over forcible encroachment of a road. Sources said Karunakar Khatua, a villager, had allegedly encroached on a Government road, thereby causing inconvenience to eight Bengali families in the locality. Karunakar’s family members had even prevented the Bengalis, who settled at Pitapani a long time back, from using the road.

On Sunday last, daughter of one Babua Mandal of the Bengali community was forcefully stopped and abused verbally by family members of Karunakar when she was going to the local market on her bicycle on the encroached road. Karunakar’s wife Kabuli and his family members had earlier warned the Bengali villagers against using the road.

After coming to know about the scolding of his daughter by the Khatuas, Babua got enraged and attacked Kabuli with a sharp weapon. The woman sustained critical injuries in the assault and was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Babua’s supporters also set Kabuli’s house on fire.

Meanwhile, Kabuli succumbed to injuries on Wednesday and her death led to a backlash against the Bengali families. The houses of the Bengali community were ransacked and looted by Karunakar’s supporters. Fearing violent reprisals, the Bengali families fled the village.

Sources said the situation worsened as police have failed to arrest Babua even though five days have passed since the incident took place. On the day, Sarpanch Kesab Charan Patra along with other villagers of Pitapani formed a peace committee to restore normalcy in the village.

Erasama IIC Pradyumna Kumar Behera said though the situation is under control, tension continues to prevail in the village. One platoon of police force has been deployed in Pitapali to avert any law and order situation. Accused Babua is on the run and efforts are on to nab him, he added.