Malda violence: Four key suspects yet to be questioned
While 11 people have been arrested for the January 3 violence, police said they have not got any significant information from the accused.
The broken boundary wall of Kaliachak police station on Tuesday. (Express Photo by: Partha Paul)
ELEVEN DAYS after the violence at Kaliachak police station in Malda district, police are yet to make any substantial progress in cracking the case. While 11 people have been arrested for the January 3 violence, police said they have not got any significant information from the accused.
A Muslim rally against Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari for his alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed had turned violent in Malda district on Sunday, leading to arson and gunfire. The protesters set on fire about two dozen vehicles and attacked the police station. Four of the key suspects — Ataullah Sheik, Abdur Rauf, Ashadur Biswas and Raju Moral — are yet to be arrested. They have not even been called for questioning.
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While Ataullah Sheik is the chairman of Edara-e-Shariyah that had organised the protest rally on January 3, Abdur Rauf — husband of Shefali Khatoon, former CPM sabhadipati of Kaliachak — had allegedly mobilised the crowd. Ashadur Biswas is the Trinamool Congress observer for Kaliachak and Raju Moral is a local suspected to have led the attack on the police station.
Malda ASP Abhishek Modi said of the four, Ataullah and Rauf have been named in the FIR. “We have learnt that Ashadur and Raju were involved in the attack on the police station. While Raju is absconding, we have not yet called Ashadur for questioning,” Modi said, adding that they were identifying more suspects from CCTV footage.
Ataullah, a resident of Chandpur, teaches at a madrasa. When The Indian Express reached his residence, one of his family members said Ataullah had not returned home since January 3. “He has not come home or tried to contact us. He is afraid of getting arrested. He was not involved in the attack on the police station. Police come to our houses almost every night and ask about him,” said the relative.
When contacted, Shefali claimed Rauf had been framed. “Is there any video that shows he was even close to the police station?” she said. She claimed it was the handiwork of the Trinamool Congress. Trinamool leader Ashadur Biswas, who owns a nursing home, is yet to be called for questioning. While he could not be contacted, Ittefaque Alam, who looks after the nursing home, said: “Biswas is not involved in the incident. In fact, he was not even here when it happened. Opposition leaders are trying to malign his reputation.”
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