A day before the test for next year’s Madhyamik examination, Alima Khatun, Salma Khatun and many other students of Daluikhaki-Laskarpara’s at Joynagar in South 24-Parganas village were worried about their performance as they have lost most of their books in the violence that was unleashed on their families in the aftermath of Trinamul leaderSaifuddin Laskar’s murder at Bamungachi on Monday.
Sitting under the open sky, these students of Chaltaberia High School pointed to the charred structures that were once their homes and burnt pages of books lying scattered across the area.
At least 30 houses, including shops, were torched by the mob that went on the rampage, vandalising properties and whatever came their way in the alleged presence of cops. As the criminals did spare books and study materials, the likes of Alima and Salma are in great trouble.
Anxious about the outcome of the examination, the students, who have yet to overcome the trauma of the violence that unfolded before their eyes, are not even in the right frame of mind to take the exam.
“I have lost touch with books since Monday. All my books and class notes have been gutted in the fire they (goons) set to burn our homes. The goons attacked our homes and did not spare one thing. We fled fearing for our lives. But I fled I had managed to take my school bag but the goons snatched it from me and threw it in the fire,” said an inconsolable student who did want to be named.
After returning home on Thursday, Alima tried to check in the ashes if any of her books had survived the fire. She did not find any.
“I found some books in the debris but they were burnt beyond use. I don’t know how to take the test,” said Alima.
Her mother Marzina, who works as a tailor, said: “The violence has shattered the dream of my daughter to do well in the Madhyamik examination. She was studying hard. But it appears that her efforts and hard work will go in vain.”
The situation is quite the same for students of other classes. With schools set to resume from Monday, these students have no idea how to study without books.
The state administration or any socio-political has not come forward to help these students with books. “Only CPM leadership have assured us help with books. But we are yet to get them,” a student said.
A CPM leader in Joynagar said: “Some students have been provided with books and exercise books at the shelter. Others will also be provided soon.”
Meanwhile, after four days of the violence, a team of the state administration for the first time reached the Daluakhaki-Laskarpara village with relief materials like tarpaulin and blankets on Friday.
Speaking about the arrival of government officials, a villager said: “We do not have food to eat. The children don’t have books. We have got neither of what we need desperately.”
A team of Congress leaders tried to enter the village with relief items. But the police didn’t allow them to enter the village due to prohibitory orders.
Earlier in the day, Anisur Laskar Rahaman and three others arrested on Thursday from Nadia’s Ranaghat were produced before the ACJM court in Baruipur. The court remanded them in 11 days’ police custody.
Police sources said the four would be interrogated in custody to get to the bottom of the murder.
“The motive is not clear so far. But it appears that the Anisur hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Saifuddin. Anisur was an important CPM activist in the area with close proximity to a section of Trinamul leadership. There is a possibility that Anisur wanted to join the Trinamul and Saifuddin had sensed. To clear his path Anisur could have plotted Saifuddin’s murder,” a police officer said while claiming that nothing had emerged so far.
Reacting to Anisur’s arrest, a CPM leader said: “We are not surprised as the police is trying to prove the plot scripted by Trinamul leaders.”
