3 dead in Bhangar clashes: ‘TMC goons came in police uniform and opened fire… They should be hanged’

Her husband, 23-year-old ISF worker Razaul Gazi, was among the three persons killed during the violence outside a counting centre in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas on Tuesday night.

ISF supporters allegedly clashed with police and hurled bombs at Kanthalia High School during the counting of votes for zilla parishad seats of Bhangar-II. Three youths, including Razaul, died in the clash.
Asma Tara married Razaul a year and a half ago and has a four-month girl.

At nearby Katadanga village, Tanjeera Bibi, wife of ISF workers Hassan Mollah (27), who was also killed in a clash, expresses dismay over her husband’s death. “He never had any criminal record. How can he be killed,” she says.

Hassan’s brother Iman says that they had gathered in front of Kanthalia High School arounf 9 pm on Tuesday after they came to know that TMC leaders allegedly forced the local ISF candidate to give in writing that she was defeated in the panchayat polls. “We were protesting and demanding the release of our candidate Jahanara Bibi when suddenly all the street lights went off and gun firing began. We don’t know whether they were police or TMC goons who were firing at us. We saw they were firing from a two-storeyed building near the school. We started to run and take shelter. Suddenly, I heard that Hassan was shot in front of the school,” says Iman.

The two brothers used to stitch leather bags and sell them in Kolkata. “After (cyclone) Amphan, TMC assured us compensation as our houses had been damaged. But they did not give anything. We then decided to oppose TMC politically,” says Iman, who is younger than Hassan.

The third person killed in the clash is 25-year-old Raju Mollah. His neighbours at Shanpukur village say he was not associated with any political party. “At night, he went outside with his friends. And then what happened, we do not know,” a neighbour of Mollah says.

Meanwhile, the family of Jahanara, the 50-year-old ISF candidate for the Bhangar-II zilla parishad seat, says she and her husband have not returned home since Tuesday. “My son Karimul and his wife Jahanara have not returned home since they left for the counting on Tuesday morning. Karimul called me around 8 pm to say that Jahanara has won the election, but the officials have not handed them the certificate. I do not know where they are.”