Chaos persists in Sandeshkhali: Protesters demand answers; Question Police about their absence earlier

Kolkata, Feb 23: Local villagers continued to protest in North 24 Parganas's Bermazur village in Sandeshkhali on Friday as tensions continued to brew in the region that has been witnessing unrest for the last over 10 days. South Bengal Additional Director General, Supratim Sarkar and Deputy Inspector General of Barasat Range, Bhaskar Mukherjee reached the spot with their team to pacify the villagers.

"We are saying this in pain. Why are they (Shah Jahan Sheikh's aides) breaking into our houses? They are threatening my in-laws. Why are they doing this?" an aggrieved woman protester said as the police tried to pacify the situation. While the police reasoned that they were taking steps to solve the situation, she said, "You are coming now. Where were you earlier?" Meanwhile, a team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) arrived in Patrapara in Sandeshkhali to meet the victims. The NHRC team has come to ascertain facts through a "spot-enquiry" into the incidents of violence in the North 24 Parganas islands.

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The Commission has observed that the recent incidents in Sandeshkhali, as have been reported in various print and electronic media, indicate a prima facie violation of human rights, shocking the conscience. Earlier on Tuesday, the NHRC issued a notice to the DGP directing him to submit a report within two weeks in a case where a journalist of a news channel was detained by police in Sandeshkhali. The Commission also asked its DIG (investigation) to find out the facts by telephone and submit his findings to the Commission within a week.

The women protestors in Sandeshkhali are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.

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Shahjahan continues to evade capture, with both state police and central agencies unable to locate him.

Recently, the Calcutta High Court instructed a collaborative Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and West Bengal Police to investigate an assault on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali.