Burning buses and clashes mark shutdown... ISLAMPUR BECOMES EPICENTRE

KOUSIK SEN, TT, 27 Sep 2018, Raiganj: Islampur subdivision in North Dinajpur was undoubtedly the epicentre of violence that Bengal witnessed on Wednesday during the 12-hour strike ­ which was later turned into a 10-hour affair ­ called by the BJP.

All the usual scenes of forced shut downs ­ torching of buses, destruction of public property, clashes between bandh supporters and police ­ were witnessed in Islampur, which wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors and traffic was limited along NH31 as the bandh supporters were on the prowl.

They even tried to prevent state transport minister from reaching Islampur.

Police had to intervene in multiple places to prevent the bandh supporters from blocking roads or destroying public property, which led to clashes as the bandh supporters were seen attacking the police force with bricks and stones. Police had to burst teargas shells and charge the attackers with batons to disperse them.

"We arrested 133 bandh supporters till this evening," a police source.

The strike was called in protest of the deaths of two youths during a clash between students and police at Daribhit High School, located around 15 km from Islampur, on September 20. On the next day, the BJP had observed a strike in North Dinajpur district but later, the party had called a state-wide strike.

As the BJP had vowed to make the shut down total and the ruling establishment was determined to foil it, the strike created a fear factor in the minds of people, which led to a shut down in several North Bengal districts, especially in Islampur. Private transports were off the roads, schools were open but students did not attend classes. Marketplaces and shops were close and so were most banks.

In Daribhit, BJP raised a road blockade on the road that connects the village. Manju Burman, mother of Tapash, one of the youths who died due to bullet injury and her family members participated in the blockade. As a government bus reached the locality, residents did not allow it pass through the area and was asked to return to Islampur.

In Islampur, at around 10am, the bandh supporters stopped a private bus coming from Bihar on NH31 and ransacked it at College More. Police reached the spot and removed the ransacked vehicle.

As the police team left the spot, the supporters stopped an NBSTC bus coming from Siliguri. They asked the passengers to get down and then ransacked, torched the vehicle.

Again at around 10am, another group of bandh supporters ransacked another bus and torched it at Srikrishnapur area of the town.

As fire engines and policemen reached the spot, the supporters pelted stones at them. Police acted and resorted to lathicharge.

The cat and mouse game continued as the supporters torched another bus in Firm Colony area within half an hour. At around 12pm, they ransacked two light vehicles.

Such attacked made police launch a raid to nab the supporters. Soon, Debajit Ghosh, a state leader of Yuva Morcha, was arrested with some others.

"None from our party is associated with the incidents of ransacking the buses. People have spontaneously supported the strike. The police are acting biased and arresting our party workers in an indiscriminate manner," Nirmal Das, the former district BJP president said.

Meanwhile Adhikari landed in Bagdogra and headed for Islampur. But it took some time for the police to ensure his safe passage through the highway, on which the charred buses stood at different locations.

At around 3pm, Adhikari reached the local bus stand in Islampur, where he spoke at a public meeting organised by Trinamul..