By Maktoob
A fact-finding report released by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), West Bengal, has alleged that the murder of 71-year-old Muslim man was part of a pattern of post-election violence, describing it as “a serious incident of collective violence” that has left residents of Kelepara village living in fear, with witnesses “hesitant to speak openly for fear of retaliation.”
The report, released on Wednesday on the killing of Sk. Shahaalam, a daily-wage labourer and the sole earning member of his family from Kelepara village under Pursurah Police Station in Hooghly district, whose family alleged that a group of unidentified persons dragged him out of his home and assaulted him with bamboo sticks, wooden objects, bricks and stones, leading to his death.
Women members of the family who attempted to intervene were allegedly threatened and prevented from rescuing him.
Earlier, the family had alleged that Sk. Shahaalam was assaulted by a group of BJP supporters in West Bengal’s Hooghly district after being accused of supporting the Trinamool Congress.
He was taken to Arambagh Prafulla Chandra Sen Government Medical College and Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The report stated that family members alleged they had been subjected to threats, intimidation and extortion demands since the Assembly election.
Residents told the fact-finding team, comprising Md. Jawed Alam, Advocate Md. Altamash Haider, Abdul Malek Molla and Md. Noor Alam, that several violent incidents had occurred in Kelepara village over recent weeks, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity within the community.
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