2010 Deganga riots
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Deganga riots began on 6 September when mobs resorted to arson
and violence
over a disputed structure at Deganga
, Kartikpur and Beliaghata under the Deganga
police station area. The violence began late in the evening and continued throughout the night into the next morning. The district police
, Rapid Action Force
, Central Reserve Police Force
and Border Security Force
all failed to stop the mob violence, army
was finally deployed. The army staged a flag march on the Taki Road, while violence continued unabated in the interior villages off the Taki Road, till Wednesday in spite of army presence and promulgation of prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC
. The violence finally calmed down on 9 September after hundreds of business establishments and residences were looted, destroyed and burnt, dozens of people were severely injured and several places of worship desecrated and vandalized.
is a CD block
in the border district
of North 24 Parganas
. According to the 2001 census
, the percentage of Muslim
population in the block
is 69.51%. It is one of the eight Muslim
majority blocks
of the 29 blocks
in the district
. Deganga
falls within the Basirhat
parliamentary constituency. Basirhat
, a traditional left
bastion, fell to Haji Nurul Islam
of Trinamul Congress in 2009
. A local resident has alleged that after his victory, massive Bangladeshi infiltration took place in the region with his active support.
On Tuesday morning, violence began to escalate after a group of Muslim
s led by Haji Nurul Islam
,a TMC MP threatened the police at the Deganga
police station. The armed mobs were being led my local toughs like Maqbur Rahman and Mintu Sahji. In the meanwhile, Later on the day the police clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC. They opened fire and started throwing bombs. One Muslim
youth of Falti village was accidentally shot in the Beliaghata bridge, who later succumbed to the injuries.
In the meanwhile, DSP (Traffic) Ashok Ray and another unidentified DSP arrived with a huge contingent of police and Rapid Action Force
to quell the riots. Both the DSPs were severely beaten up by the lynch mob. Ashok Ray was rescued by the RAF and shifted to a nursing home. At 11 AM, DIG (Presidency Range) Siddhinath Gupta, North 24 Parganas DSP Rahul Srivastava and DM Vinod Kumar convened an emergency meeting and sent a even bigger force consisting of the ICs and OCs of 15 police stations of the district accompanied by RAF. Even they failed to stop the rioters. At 1-30 PM, SDPO (Barasat) Mehmood Akhtar promulgated section 144 of CrPC. When the situation couldn't controlled by all of the district police, Rapid Action Force
and Border Security Force
, the state government deputed the army. In the evening, two columns of the army entered Deganga. When the army finally arrived, the tormented Hindu villagers seeing a ray of hope, came out of their homes, crying. The army however conducted only a flag march along the Taki Road.
The Deganga riot was filed as a Human Rights Violation on Hindus in an investigative report by the noted human rights campaigning movement group Bangladesh Minority Watch.
temples. The Kali
temple at Deganga Biplabi Colony was vandalized by a mob that came in trucks from Beliaghata, Sashan and Basirhat
. Trinamul Congress MP Haji Nurul Islam
personally supervised the desecration of the Kali
temple. When the Hindu
s of the locality protested they were chased by the mob, armed with swords and daggers and hurled bombs at them. Among others they also damaged and burnt the Kakra Mirza Nagar Kali
temple. The Shani temple of Kartikpur were vandalized by the mobs. They also hoisted a loudspeaker at the mosque near Deganga
market, violating the High Court
order that prohibited the use of the loudspeaker.
On Thursday, a delegation of BJP
leaders led by Rajya Sabha
MP Chandan Mitra
, Lok Sabha MP Uday Singh, West Bengal
state BJP
president Rahul Sinha, ex-president Tathagata Roy
and others visited the riot torn areas. On Friday, the 10th of September, the BJP
demanded the arrest of Trinamul Congress MP Haji Nurul Islam, the main culprit behind the riot
, for instigating the mob into a communal frenzy.
The army returned to their barracks on Saturday, the day of the Eid.
Hindu Samhati, a noted Hindu Rights Group from West Bengal
did extensive fieldwork for the safety and rehabiliation of the Hindu Victims of Deganga
At least 32 Durga Puja
committees from the Deganga
block have resolved to boycott the Durga Puja
celebrations. According to Deganga Puja Samanvay Committee, a total of 42 puja committees have boycott
ed Durga Puja
in Deganga
.
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
over a disputed structure at Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
, Kartikpur and Beliaghata under the Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
police station area. The violence began late in the evening and continued throughout the night into the next morning. The district police
West Bengal Police
The West Bengal Police is one of the two police forces of the Indian state of West Bengal....
, Rapid Action Force
Rapid Action Force
The Rapid Action Force is a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF . It was established on 11 December 1991 and became fully operational in October 1992, to deal with riots & related unrest...
, Central Reserve Police Force
Central Reserve Police Force
The Central Reserve Police Force also known as CRPF is the largest of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain...
and Border Security Force
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
all failed to stop the mob violence, army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
was finally deployed. The army staged a flag march on the Taki Road, while violence continued unabated in the interior villages off the Taki Road, till Wednesday in spite of army presence and promulgation of prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (India)
The Code of Criminal Procedure is the main legislation on procedure for administration of substantive criminal law in India. It was enacted in 1973 and came into force on 1 April, 1974...
. The violence finally calmed down on 9 September after hundreds of business establishments and residences were looted, destroyed and burnt, dozens of people were severely injured and several places of worship desecrated and vandalized.
Background
DegangaDeganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
is a CD block
Community Development Block in India
The Community development block is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer...
in the border district
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
of North 24 Parganas
North 24 Parganas district
North 24 Parganas district is a district in southern West Bengal, of eastern India. North 24 Parganas extends in the [tropical zone] from latitude 22º11'6" north to 23º15'2" north and from longitude 88º20' east to 89º5' east...
. According to the 2001 census
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
, the percentage of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population in the block
Community Development Block in India
The Community development block is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer...
is 69.51%. It is one of the eight Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
majority blocks
Community Development Block in India
The Community development block is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer...
of the 29 blocks
Community Development Block in India
The Community development block is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer...
in the district
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
. Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
falls within the Basirhat
Basirhat (Lok Sabha constituency)
Basirhat is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Basirhat in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
parliamentary constituency. Basirhat
Basirhat (Lok Sabha constituency)
Basirhat is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Basirhat in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
, a traditional left
Left Front
The Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. After a 34-year reign in West Bengal, the Left Front was swept from power in the 2011 election...
bastion, fell to Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam is an MP for the all India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal -References:...
of Trinamul Congress in 2009
Indian general election, 2009
India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. With an electorate of 714 million , it was the largest democratic election in the world to date.By constitutional requirement, elections to the Lok Sabha must be...
. A local resident has alleged that after his victory, massive Bangladeshi infiltration took place in the region with his active support.
Riots
On the morning of 6 September, members of one community try to set up a Durga temple along the boundary wall of a burial ground. Some local people obstructed the approach road leading to a Durga temple and this led to clashes between two communities in which several places of worship were desecrated. When the police were informed, they tried to stop the miscreants, but were outnumbered and beaten up. Officer-in-Charge Arup Ghosh suffered head injuries and fracture in the arm.On Tuesday morning, violence began to escalate after a group of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s led by Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam is an MP for the all India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal -References:...
,a TMC MP threatened the police at the Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
police station. The armed mobs were being led my local toughs like Maqbur Rahman and Mintu Sahji. In the meanwhile, Later on the day the police clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC. They opened fire and started throwing bombs. One Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
youth of Falti village was accidentally shot in the Beliaghata bridge, who later succumbed to the injuries.
In the meanwhile, DSP (Traffic) Ashok Ray and another unidentified DSP arrived with a huge contingent of police and Rapid Action Force
Rapid Action Force
The Rapid Action Force is a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF . It was established on 11 December 1991 and became fully operational in October 1992, to deal with riots & related unrest...
to quell the riots. Both the DSPs were severely beaten up by the lynch mob. Ashok Ray was rescued by the RAF and shifted to a nursing home. At 11 AM, DIG (Presidency Range) Siddhinath Gupta, North 24 Parganas DSP Rahul Srivastava and DM Vinod Kumar convened an emergency meeting and sent a even bigger force consisting of the ICs and OCs of 15 police stations of the district accompanied by RAF. Even they failed to stop the rioters. At 1-30 PM, SDPO (Barasat) Mehmood Akhtar promulgated section 144 of CrPC. When the situation couldn't controlled by all of the district police, Rapid Action Force
Rapid Action Force
The Rapid Action Force is a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF . It was established on 11 December 1991 and became fully operational in October 1992, to deal with riots & related unrest...
and Border Security Force
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
, the state government deputed the army. In the evening, two columns of the army entered Deganga. When the army finally arrived, the tormented Hindu villagers seeing a ray of hope, came out of their homes, crying. The army however conducted only a flag march along the Taki Road.
The Deganga riot was filed as a Human Rights Violation on Hindus in an investigative report by the noted human rights campaigning movement group Bangladesh Minority Watch.
Hindu temples damaged
The mob vandalized HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temples. The Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
temple at Deganga Biplabi Colony was vandalized by a mob that came in trucks from Beliaghata, Sashan and Basirhat
Basirhat
Basirhat is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. Basirhat subdivisional town is located on the banks of Ichamati River.- History :...
. Trinamul Congress MP Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam
Haji Nurul Islam is an MP for the all India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal -References:...
personally supervised the desecration of the Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
temple. When the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s of the locality protested they were chased by the mob, armed with swords and daggers and hurled bombs at them. Among others they also damaged and burnt the Kakra Mirza Nagar Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
temple. The Shani temple of Kartikpur were vandalized by the mobs. They also hoisted a loudspeaker at the mosque near Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
market, violating the High Court
Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William on 1 July 1862 under the High Courts Act, 1861. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court...
order that prohibited the use of the loudspeaker.
Hindus attacked in Salimpukur
On Wednesday morning a mob from Ramnathpur and Khejurdanga attacked the houses in the Salimpukur and Hospital area, off the Taki Road. 23 houses were ransacked in Salimpukur and the victims took shelter in nearby Kartikpur. Arup Ghosh, Officer-in-Charge of Deganga police station led a police team against the rioters and were greeted with brickbats. He was severely injured in the head and was immediately rushed to the hospital.Aftermath
Sporadic incidents continued as late as on Thursday, despite army presence. The situation calmed down on Friday though tension prevails in the entire area. Hindus, especially women who had fled the homes in fear of dishonor have still not returned to their homes.On Thursday, a delegation of BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
leaders led by Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
MP Chandan Mitra
Chandan Mitra
Chandan Mitra is an Indian journalist, presently editor and managing director of The Pioneer newspaper in Delhi, India. He was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha during August 2003 to August 2009...
, Lok Sabha MP Uday Singh, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
state BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
president Rahul Sinha, ex-president Tathagata Roy
Tathagata Roy
Tathagata Roy is an Indian politician, engineer and author. He was president of West Bengal state unit of Bhartiya Janata Party since 2006....
and others visited the riot torn areas. On Friday, the 10th of September, the BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
demanded the arrest of Trinamul Congress MP Haji Nurul Islam, the main culprit behind the riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
, for instigating the mob into a communal frenzy.
The army returned to their barracks on Saturday, the day of the Eid.
Hindu Samhati, a noted Hindu Rights Group from West Bengal
did extensive fieldwork for the safety and rehabiliation of the Hindu Victims of Deganga
At least 32 Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
committees from the Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
block have resolved to boycott the Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
celebrations. According to Deganga Puja Samanvay Committee, a total of 42 puja committees have boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
ed Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
in Deganga
Deganga
Deganga is an administrative division in Barasat Sadar subdivision of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Deganga police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Debalay...
.