Krishnanagar village of 285 voters. 65 families living. They all belong to Sanatan religion. Panchapalli with five surrounding villages. There is no Muslim family within 10 km. Only one school in 5 villages. Panchapally Govt Primary School. Barwari Kali Mandir is next to the school. Everything in the temple can be seen from the school room. There are four idols.
Kali and Shiva idol together. Two other idols on either side at a distance of 2 feet. The construction of the school toilet is going on for a month. All the workers are Muslims. An unprecedented incident took place here on April 18. At 7 o’clock in the evening there was a sudden fire. People came in front of the temple and saw the Kali idol on fire. No one knows for sure how the fire started. But the agitated mob suspected the construction workers of the toilet and started brutally beating them. Two workers died on the spot. Others were seriously injured. This incident of Dumain Union of Faridpur Madukhali Upazila shook the whole country. A lot of suspicions began to emerge. How did this incident begin? Planned murder or two teenagers victims of rumors? Various information has come up in the search of human land. Where did this incident come from? Who was behind it? Some answers to these questions have been received from the scene, eyewitnesses, local residents and the family of the deceased.
What was the problem with the contract work? According to the investigation, the toilet construction project of Panchapalli Government Primary School No. 69 located next to Sarvajanin Kalimandir in Krishnanagar village is being implemented by the Directorate of Public Health Engineering. A contractor named Mahida Enterprises of Faridpur got the job of toilet construction project. Later, the sub-contractor of Choperghat village of Nawapara Uni took the work in sub-contract. Jalal Sheikh According to a local source and the family of the victim, since the construction of the toilet was started, the local UP member Ajit Kumar Sarkar created obstacles in the work in various ways.
Before last Eid, Ajith’s people went to the construction site and demanded cash. He also threatened to beat him if he did not pay. Ashraful Khan, the worker (killed on the spot) stopped him when he went to take the construction rod. Later, the young men got excited and threatened to kill Ashraful and other workers. Later, Ashraful told his father on the phone the whole incident. Shahjahan Khan told the matter. In fear, Shahjahan Khan took his two sons back home from Panchpally. Banned from going to work in Panchapalli. However, after Eid, the two brothers Ashraful and Arshadul joined the work again at the request of sub-contractor Jalil Sheikh. On the day of the fire incident, 18th April afternoon, on the instructions of Ward No. 1 member Ajit Kumar Sarkar, Binoy Saha, a resident of the neighboring Jannagar village, entered the school with a group of youths and tried to steal a bundle of construction rods. Then they clashed with the construction workers. Later, both sides continued to abuse each other.
Tapati Rani Mandal, wife of local Prabhas Kumar Mandal’s younger brother, went to light the evening lamp in the temple at around 6:30 pm. He lit the evening lamp in the temple every day. When asked about the incident, Tapati Rani Mandal told Manavzamin, ‘I was lighting the evening lamp in the temple and saw the construction workers under the banyan tree in front of the temple. They were abusing in various inaudible languages. But I did not understand who and with whom they abused. Tapati Rani also said, ‘After lighting the lamp on Thursday evening, I again go in front of the temple to bring cow dung and straw. At that time seven construction workers were inside the school.’
Arshadul’s mother, Sharmin Begum, told Manavzamin that some boys from that area came to them and asked for money. He threatened to beat me if I didn’t pay. Do not allow to work. Ashraful told this incident to his father. Then bring them home. If I had known that they would take my father’s life, I would not have sent him. God, I want justice for the murderers. May Allah judge them.
Regarding the incident, Manzil Sheikh, the leader of the contracting company Mahida Enterprises, told Manabzamin that the workers called me after the evening and said that someone set fire to the temple next to the school. They went to the temple and put out the fire. The agitated villagers then reportedly locked the workers in the school room.
How events unfold: The Kali idol of the temple caught fire at 7:10 pm on Thursday. Hearing the screams of fire, hundreds of people from the neighborhood came forward to put out the fire. By then, the fire burnt the sari worn by the Kali idol and the arrowhead in his hand. On that day the lamp used in the evening puja in the temple was at a distance of about two feet in front of the idol. Those two lamps were seen in the same place even after going to Sarzamin.
Eyewitnesses and locals said that they still do not know for sure how the fire started on Thursday evening. Workers also help in extinguishing the fire. Later some agitated crowd started suspecting the construction workers of the school. After the incident, most of the people from Krishnanagar, Jan Nagar, Sidhlajuri and Tarapur villages rushed to the spot. At around 8pm, sub-contractor Nasimon Bhare arrived at the spot with a rod. By that time, the excited crowd surrounded the construction workers Ashraful, Arshadul, Siraj Sheikh, Anwar Hossain for the purpose of beating them. Later, sub-contractors Jalil Sheikh and Nasimon driver. All the workers, including Liton Khan, were tied with the ropes of that nasiman.
Ajit Kumar Sarkar, UP Member of Ward No. 1, arrived at the scene after receiving a call from local Prabash Kumar. He came and ushered the workers into the children’s classroom of the school. Where construction workers had been living for a long time. Later, 2nd ward member Lincoln Biswas came to the scene. Then the excited crowd started breaking the door of the room with bricks, rods, bamboo and wood saying ‘Dhar Dhar’. Later, when the tension escalated, UP member Ajit Kumar Sarkar called the chairman of the local domain union, Shah Asaduzzaman Tapan, and he came to the spot. He ruled Ashraful and struck first with the rod. Later the locals started beating. Ashraful and Arshadul died on the spot in that attack. Their house is in Choperghat village of Naopara union. Anwar Hosan and Siraj Sheikh were seriously injured.
Nasimon driver returned from the attack. Liton Molla told Manavzamin that Chairman Asaduzzaman then arrived at the scene and started beating Ashraful with an iron pipe without listening to anyone. He kept saying how dare you set the temple on fire. You created a riot, while saying these things, he killed Ashraful and threw him to the ground. Later, the worker also beat Anwar. Member Ajit Kumar also started beating Arshadul with wood. The locals then became more agitated and entered by breaking the doors and windows. Some people started throwing bricks through the window. Seeing the dire situation, the chairman left the room to escape the brick. Later, hundreds of people entered the room with sticks and started beating them. They broke the arms and legs of Arshadul, Ashraful and Anwar with rods and bricks. Hits the head. Later the police came and brought the situation under control. I was hiding under the stairs in the dark.
Abdur Razzak Khan, the elder uncle of the deceased Ashraful and Arshadul, told Manavzamin, “My nephews were beaten and their heads were cut in two.” Vertebral bones are broken. When the body is caught, it breaks in the middle. We want the chairman and members to be punished. Hindus did not beat first. The chairman came and started beating. Later the locals attacked. Two innocent lives were taken away.
Another victim of the attack, Jalal Sheikh, a sub-contractor, told Manabzamin that when we arrived, we saw buckets, water and jugs in the hands of the workers. They worked to put out the fire. The Hindus then suspected the workers and started abusing them. They say, why did not catch fire today? 4 laborers tied with a rope and taken to the room. When accused chairman Shah Asaduzzaman called Tapan’s cell phone about the incident in the morning, the number was found to be switched off.
Even though several houses of that village were visited, no man was found. Most of the houses are locked. Although women were seen in a few houses, no one could say anything clearly when asked about the incident. Everyone said they don’t know anything. They did not see who started the fire. Some said they were not at home at the time of the incident. Although he was at home, he did not go to the spot. An attempt was made to find out the mystery of the incident by visiting various places including Dumain Union’s Bazar Ghat. However, some have said that the workers were deliberately set on fire due to problems with the construction work. This has been done to discipline them.
Geeta Rani Biswas, Acting Headmistress of Panchapally School, told Manavzamin, “I don’t know who set fire to Kali Maa.” I have asked many people and no one can tell. Even so, it happened. I understand that even if someone commits a crime, he cannot be killed. Law will punish them if they are found guilty. So to kill? I was in Madhukhali on the day of the incident. I came and heard.
Swapan Kumar Biswas, assistant teacher of the school, said, “We have not seen who set the fire.” No one can say. And the workers have been working for about 1 month. We did not notice any bad behavior from them. Those who have sinned will be punished.
What was seen on the spot: The door of the temple is open. Two lamps are extinguished inside. Kali Murti has no clothes on her body. Burn marks. Silence all around. There are no people around. A few policemen are sitting in the field within the school boundary. talking to each other. Bricks, rods, bamboo sticks, wood are scattered around. The door and window of a school room were broken. Peeking inside the room, it was seen that the workers had sheets, mattresses, blankets, pillows, pots and pans and clothes. Pants with a belt. There is blood on the wall. There is also blood on the floor carpet. A pile of iron rods is next to it. Bricks surrounded the bloody place. The lock is hanging on the broken door. A side room is open. 4 teachers were seen there. When they entered the room and asked about the incident, they said they did not know anything. After a while the ASP of that circle came to the spot. A CID team arrived shortly after this. They came and marked the entire temple and crime scene with tape.
Cases and Arrests: Three cases have been registered in connection with the attack and murder in Panchapally. Tapati Rani Mandal has filed a case as a plaintiff in the case of setting fire to the temple. A case has been registered regarding the murder of two workers. The accused is unknown. Apart from this, Sub-Inspector Sankar Bala of Madhukhali police station has filed a case as a plaintiff for obstruction of police work and attempt to kill police. According to the statement of this case, the police arrested two people named Govinda Sarkar and Anay Bhaduri on the night of the incident. Later they were arrested and sent to jail.
Those who took part in the attack: Panchpalli consists of Krishnanagar, Jan Nagar, Sidhlajuri and Tarapur. All these five villages are Sanatan religion. On the day of the attack, at least 2,000 people from 5 surrounding villages took part. 31 people were accused of taking part in the attack and attacking the police in a case. They are Govinda Sarkar, Anay Bhaduri, Kangal Mandal, Kalipada Mandal, Rabindranath Mandal, Keshav Mandal, Sajib Mandal, Mangal Sarkar, Prem Kumar Mandal, Anil Kumar Bala, Asim Biswas, Krishna Biswas, Harichandra Adhikari, Govind Bala, Sajib Mandal, Sufal aka Mukta, Manik Mondal, Gopal Sarkar, Palash Sarkar, Mani Kumar Biswas, Ujjal Das, Kaushik Joardar, Biplab Mandal, Ganesh Basu, Milton Sarkar, Hridoy Biswas, Manojit Bala, Gautam Mondal, Mihir Sarkar, Ujjal Mitra, Raj Kumar Sarkar .
Amrita Kumar Bose, the 1st ward village policeman present at the scene, told Manavzamin that Binoy Saha is the mastermind. Why did he come here? Who called him here? He is a suspicious person. His character is not good. He engages in religious incitement. He led during the incident. He was also inside the room with the member chairman. What is his job there?
Ward No. 2 village policeman Sujeet Adhikari told Manavzamin that Asim Biswas had an ankle in his hand at the time of the incident. He was very excited. The boy named Govinda had many arguments with the OC of Madhukhali police station. Govinda gives leadership to the youth in the area.
