CPM proud of Angaria accused

Shyam Sundar Roy
The Statesman, 14 December

MIDNAPORE, Dec. 13: CPI-M’s Midnapore West district committee member Tapan and the party’s Garbeta zonal committee secretary Sukur, the two accused in the 2001 Chhoto Angaria massacre in Garbeta are a part of the newly formed 81-member district headed by Mr Dipak Sarkar.

Charges were framed against the duo on Wednesday in the court of district second additional sessions judge under several Sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. They are now in custody.

After being caught red handed while whisking away three BUPC activists from Nandigram on 10 November at Egra in Midnapore East, Tapan-Sukur were designated as the “assets and heroes” of the party by Mr Sarkar while Mr Binay Konar, central committee member, said “we are proud of Tapan-Sukur for wresting Kespur and Garbeta from Trinamul with their armed brigade”.

They have been booked under charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, armed assembly with the intention of committing murder, causing mischief by burning dwelling house and causing disappearance of evidence and possession of illegal arms. But they pleaded their “innocence” in the court.

Bail petitions were moved by their lawyers but later withdrawn when the judge, Mr Abdul Kuddus, stated that the case will come up on 19 December to hear their appeal to be adopted with eight other witnesses in the case.

The duo along with five other party cadres from Garbeta had been absconding since they were chargesheeted by the CBI in 2003 and declared “fugitive” by the district police.

Though absconders under alleged police favour they were never the CBI’s dragnet unless they took part in 10 March Nandigram recapture operation and were intercepted along with 11 other party cadres from Garbeta while returning.

Altogether 13 CPI-M comrades were found guilty by the CBI in the massacre committed in the house of Mr Abdul Rahaman Mandal, a Trinamul activist, at Chhoto Angaria on 4 January 2001.

They allegedly torched the house after butchering five activists while they were holding a meeting.

However, no slain bodies could be traced.

While five other accused are in jail since their surrender in the court in 2005 another was shot dead by some criminals in 2003.