Claims & counter claims give Sujit’s death a political colour

November 11: Sujit Das (30), a resident of Silchar Tarani Road, was allegedly beaten to death at Shib Colony area of Silchar on Monday. On Thursday night, when his dead body came from NEIGRIHMS Shillong, his kith and kin kept the dead body at Rangirkhari point and blocked the road.However, after getting assurance from the ASP Rakesh Reddy that the culprits would be nabbed soon, the blockade was withdrawn. In the FIR filed with Rangirkhari police, it was alleged that some persons of Shib Colony area had beaten Sujit Das to death.

But within 24 hours of the incident, the entire episode seems to have taken a political colour with allegations and counter allegations between two localities: Tarani Road and Shib Colony. Politically loaded statements from both the camps have complicated the matter for the investigating police team who are busy recording statements of both the localities.

The allegations made by the family of the deceased in their FIR were blatantly refuted by the people of Shib Colony. In a strong voice they asserted that the incident took place near Induslnd Bank at Rangirkhari and not at Sib Colony. Further, the death was a matter of sheer accident which happened in front of the eyes of many.

Addressing the media, they asserted that, on Monday night at around 11.30, Sujit Das alias Bhromorlal Das hit a motor cycle at a great pace in the main road at Rangirkhari near Induslnd Bank. At once Sujit and the pillion rider in the motorbike fell down unconscious on the road. On the motorbike were Rupa Paul and her husband Abhijit Das. Abhijit too fell down but had very minor injury.

They said that instantly, the shopkeepers of the locality, customers in their shops and passersby rushed to help them. Sajal Banik, Ward Commissioner of Ward No.20, whose medicine store is nearby also reached the spot. At that moment an ambulance was on its way to Silchar Medical College with a patient. The crowd stopped that ambulance and carried Sujit inside it. Expressing displeasure, they said that they were very demoralized and would never ever help any people in distress.

They claimed that it was not a situation to beat anybody. Within hardly ten minutes of the accident Sujit was sent to Silchar Medical College in the ambulance. They expressed surprise to the allegation made in the complaint by the family of the deceased that the brothers of Rupa Paul had beaten up Sujit after he hit the motorbike. The people of the locality said that in reality, the injured Rupa Paul does not have any brothers.

They further said that just after the accident Ward Commissioner Sajal Banik himself rushed to Medical College. The entire episode was later on coloured by some miscreants with vested interests. They also alleged that on Thrusday night, when the road was blocked at Rangirkhari, slogans were raised against Sajal Banik and Shib Colony. They asserted that there is a political overtone in such allegations and demanded a thorough enquiry into it. Meanwhile, Nripendra Paul has also lodged a FIR as regards the injury sustained by his daughter and her husband in that accident.

Speaking to way2barak, Ward Commissioner Sajal Banik stated that he is clear to his conscience. The incident happened in the main road in front of the eyes of many people. He expressed deep regrets as to how some people with vested interest are busy doing dirty politics even in a tragic incident like the death of a person. He said that he has met with the police and demanded a thorough inquiry into the whole episode. Advocate Soumen Choudhury, a resident of Shib Colony also expressed displeasure at the incident. He further said that mudslinging carried on in social media against the inhabitants of Shib Colony is indeed unfortunate and misleading.

Meanwhile, newsman Angshuman Acharjee has claimed to be an eye witness of the entire incident as he was on his way back to his home from his official duty when all of a sudden the accident occurred in front of his eyes.

On the other hand, Raja Dutta, BJP Booth President of Booth No.110 of Tarani Road area has alleged that Ward Commissioner Sajal Banik was trying to politicize this death and excite people of the locality against each other. He further raised the demand that Sajal Banik should not drag Tarani Road to this dirty politics.

The post-mortem report of this death is still awaited. Police has started investigation in full swing and are on the process of recording the statements of the eye witnesses. The post-mortem report will definitely bring to the surface the nature of death of Sujit Das, which might put to rest the issue of claims and counter claims which are going on between people of two nearby localities.