Clash in Gaibandha: Another injured Santal dies

One more Santal died of injuries from Sunday's clash between indigenous people and sugarcane mill labourers along with police in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha.

The victim, Romesh Soren, 40, of Sintaduri village in Sapmara union, had not been admitted to hospital fearing arrest, said his relative and local leader of the community Rozen Soren.

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The death was confirmed by Rabindra Soren, a central leader of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad.

Subrata Kumar Sarker, officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj police, refuted the death claim. 

Philimon Baske, another leader of the indigenous community, said Dinajpur police buried an unclaimed body that belonged to one from their community at Fultola Cremation Yard in Dinajpur town on Tuesday noon.

Niranjan Roy, caretaker of the cremation ground, said the body was buried under police protection. He showed the death certificate issued by Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, according to which the dead was admitted to the hospital on November 3 and he died the next day.

Meanwhile, a few attackers patrolled by motorcycles Madarpur and Joypur villages of Gobindaganj yesterday morning, heightening panic among the Adivasis evicted from a disputed land by police and labourers of Rangpur Sugar Mill in the upazila.  

They drove around the areas for half an hour, said Rafayel Hasda, adding that these people were on the front line during the attack on the indigenous people on Sunday.

Subrata, OC of Gobindaganj, rejected the allegation of patrol by outsiders. 

Santal people who are now not allowed to leave the villages over security concerns are in fear of fresh attacks.  

Women prefer to stay at home while most male members of the community fled fearing arrest.

Tarun Murmu, an affected Santal, said even after criminals set fire to their houses, looted and damaged their properties in front of police, the local administration was yet to form a committee to find out what had prompted law enforcers to fire shots that left two Santals dead.

“We demand a probe into the incident,” he said.

The administration has not yet prepared a list of those affected either.

Abdul Hannan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Gobindaganj, along with the OC visited Madarpur and Joypur yesterday.

Talking to The Daily Star on phone, he said there was no arson and eviction drive on Sunday.

The UNO, however, said policemen fired bullets as Santals shot arrows when law enforcers tried to remove them from the land that they claim of their forefathers. 

Meanwhile, Santal children have not been attending school.

Abdul Baki, headmaster of Sahebganj Farm High School, said his school has some 60 students from the indigenous community but they were absent from classes since Sunday.

Rafayel Hasda, a leader of the community, said Dijen Tudu, who had received wounds around his eyes and had been shown arrested, was at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, but he should immediately be transferred to an eye hospital.

Adivasis said some people of their community were still missing.

Abdus Sattar, deputy commissioner of Gaibandha, said the authority would investigate Sunday's incident.

Abul Kalam Azad, lawmaker of Gaibandha-4, described the attack on Santals as inhuman.

Visiting Madarpur and Joypur villages, he said the landless people would be rehabilitated as early as possible.  

A team of rights body Ain o Salish Kendra along with other human rights organisations visited the areas.

In Rangpur, students of Begum Rokeya University formed a human chain in front of the press club protesting the attack, looting and arson.

They also demanded exemplary punishment to the people who had caused deaths and injuries of Santal men.