Murshidabad violence: NCW & NHRC members also visit Malda camp, say ‘unimaginable trauma’

“We have already formed an inquiry committee. We will noPralalpur High Schoolw submit a detailed report,” she added.

Archana Majumdar, a member of the NCW accompanying Rahatkar, said, “It is the state government’s responsibility to ensure their safety. What is the TMC doing? Is the government trying to turn West Bengal into another Bangladesh?”.

The NCW delegation is expected to spend the night in Malda before heading to Murshidabad on Saturday.

The panel is scheduled to meet district officials, victims and eventually call on the Governor, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in Kolkata on Sunday.

A fact-finding team of the NHRC, meanwhile, visited Malda and Murshidabad. They met the family of Haragobinda Das, who was killed along with his son during last Friday’s violence in Samserganj. The father and son were among the three killed last Friday during violent protests against the new Waqf law.

PTI adds: Tension escalated briefly during Governor Bose’s visit to Pralalpur High School on Friday evening when angry camp residents broke barricades and surrounded district officials, accusing police of preventing journalists from entering the premises and not allowing them to speak to the media or meet visiting relatives.

Protests were held over alleged “police-imposed censorship, denial of access to the media to cover the Governor’s interaction with victims and inhumane living conditions”.

“This camp feels worse than a prison. Police are not allowing us to meet anyone and narrate our ordeal,” a camp resident told reporters.

“We are not allowed to go out or interact with our relatives here. We do not know why the media is not allowed inside when the Governor is here and talking to us. We want the world to know about our talks with him,” the inmate alleged.

Several women alleged harassment by police personnel and said they were being threatened at night to not talk to outsiders.

“Police are treating us like criminals. We are being given dry rotis, bananas and stale rice. It is hard to tell whether we are in a refugee camp or a detention centre,” a woman at the camp told reporters.