Armed Bangladeshi Muslim intruders plunder bordering Hindu village in India

Sovereignty of India compromised; government sleeps

It was another day of Koojagari Laxmi Puja – almost 70 years after the gruesome Nokahali genocide (the series of massacres initiated on the same Puja day on October 10, 1946) – when the village of Sutia, P.S. Bongaon, Dist. 24 Paraganas (North), in India-Bangladesh border area became victim to the assaults of hundreds of bloodthirsty Muslim intruders (cattle smugglers) from Bangladesh on October 11, 2011 at dead night. The intruders, as per villagers, came from the village of Ghibe, Dist. Jessore in Bangladesh to take reprisals for unanimous Hindu effort to ward off Muslim cattle smugglers from the village on the pervious day, October 10, 2011.

While talking with a number of villagers it was learnt that cattle smuggling has always been a major problem in the area. Even if a few impoverished people in Sutia and its neighborhood join the smugglers, it is controlled by Muslims (wholly) from the neighboring areas in Bangladesh who intrude India day in and day out. How does it happen? Well, the border is quite porous and the presence of river Kodalia and lack of BSF’s virility makes intrusion from Bangladesh most comfortable. This became most decipherable when the villagers found intruders’ gathering in the village at 9 pm on Tuesday. The river was used as transit.

The terrible onslaught (starting around 11.30 pm) went on for almost one-and-half-hour leading to the destruction of Hindu households, temples, shops, cultivable lands and also vehicles. No one was killed but a few villagers, playing strong roles in defense program on October 10, 2011 to fight off Muslim cattle smugglers, were terribly injured. They include Jadab Mandal (age 35), Madan Mandal (age 28), Dipankar Mandal (age 20), Murali Biswas (age 55), Subir Biswas (age 30). Children were also not spared – Sudip Mandal (age 7), son of Jadab Mandal, was battered and also warned unless his father steer clear of any such rebellious activity, hell would unleash on them soon. Property worth half-a-million rupees has been destructed, according to estimation. Villagers are considering the entire program as an admonition and failure to comply with it will lead to complete ruin.

Don’t villagers have faith in BSF? When asked this question, villagers gave a strong reply that reveals a naked truth and also the over-generous attitude of India and its pathetic consequences. Hindu villagers said unanimously that BSF was their pal till the other day but not any more. What is more shocking, they said, on the very day, the murderous Bangladeshi Muslim mob was just waiting for the passage of a BSF squad through the village. Once it passed the crusade started against Hindus in the village.

Villagers allege that BSF was well-informed of every development but thanks to absence of government order to shoot they preferred to stay away from the fast-worsening situation. Why didn’t local BSF unit contact its superior authority then? It should have been as the entire incident was compromising sovereignty of India most importantly. When asked, the local unit preferred to remain tight-lipped while one of them mildly cited the latest government order.

What does the latest government order state? Union Government of India has ordered BSF not to fire at people seeking to cross over along the extensive porous India-Bangladesh border except self-defense. This was stated by Mr. P. Chidambaram, Union Home Minster in the month of July. This has made BSF futile hence and Hindu villagers are paying this weird policy through destruction of their properties.

Hindus in the village are desolate, frustrated – they have nowhere to go and are living in a country that they can’t have faith in.