Sheikh Shahjahan, his associates tortured tribals, took wages: Sandeshkhali probe team
- In Reports
- 11:01 PM, Feb 24, 2024
- Myind Staff
Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates have been accused of torturing tribals in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali for allegedly voting against the party. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has received reports indicating that they forcibly collected MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) wages from the affected individuals.
Vice-Chairperson Ananta Nayak, who led the three-member NCST team, said that the panel has received more than 50 complaints of sexual harassment of tribal women and land grabs by Shahjahan and his associates.
"The NCST team learned that Shahjahan would instruct poor tribal people to give him their MNREGA earnings. And in case they had already exhausted it, he would ask them to borrow money from lenders and give it to him," Nayak was quoted as saying by PTI. He added he has not seen anything "like this across the country".
Nayak stated that the complainants, predominantly Hindus, informed the investigation team that the accused and his associates had allegedly subjected people to torture based on their voting choices in favour of other political parties during elections.
The panel learned that Shahjahan and his associates would compel local women to attend late-night meetings, and those who resisted faced repercussions, including torture inflicted upon their family members. Shockingly, victims who sought help from the police were allegedly met with apathy, as authorities refused to file FIRs or complaints, instead advising negotiation with Shahjahan. This complicity on the part of law enforcement further exacerbated the victims' suffering, reported PTI.
Additionally, complaints received by the NCST team detailed Shahjahan's exploitation of tribal families, with reports alleging that he demanded land concessions and threatened those who objected by releasing saltwater into their fields. According to Nayak, Shahjahan is accused of illegally seizing land from over a thousand tribal and non-tribal individuals across a vast area spanning more than 10 kilometers.
Sandeshkhali, located on an island in North 24 Parganas, has been witnessing unrest since February 8. The residents, primarily women, have taken to the streets, calling for the arrest of Shahjahan. They accuse him of allegedly encroaching upon their lands and turning them into fish farms.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in connection with the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal. In October of the preceding year, former state minister Jyoti Priya Mallick was arrested in relation to the scam. He is currently in jail.
On Friday, fresh protests rocked Sandeshkhali village as local women demanded the arrest of absconding Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan.
So far, 18 people, including local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar—both considered close aides of Shahjahan—have been arrested. These arrests are connected to allegations of sexual assault, land grabbing, and incitement of violence in Sandeshkhali.
After Sandeshkhali, locals in another village in West Bengal have spoken up against alleged atrocities and land grabs by absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his brother Sirajuddin.
Residents of Bermajur village, situated in Sandeshkhali II taluka of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, have accused Sirajuddin of forcibly seizing their land and issued threats against them.
On Saturday, a police camp was set up in Bermajur village to receive complaints from the locals. One of the locals said his ancestral land was grabbed by Shahjahan Sheikh and his brother last year, and he was given no compensation.
Another local hoped that the situation would improve now that a police camp was set up, and their complaints were being registered.
He said Sirajuddin forcefully grabbed their lands and turned them into fish farms. "Those who refused to give up their lands were beaten up," he said.
Tensions escalated in Bermajur after a mob set fire to a hut on an aquaculture field that was purportedly seized by Sirajuddin on Friday. In response, villagers vandalized the residence of TMC leader Ajit Maity in Bermajur, accusing him of being involved in land grabbing along with Shahjahan Sheikh. In light of the situation, the district administration has imposed Section 144 in Bermajur, restricting certain activities to maintain public order.
Image source: Hindustan Times
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