Threat call : FIR against seven

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 3: On behalf of Cooch Behar Social Forestry Division a FIR was lodged at Cooch Behar Kotowali police station against seven forest plunderers accusing them for making a threat call to a senior forest official. Police sources said an inquiry was started following the complaint.

 

It may be recalled here that Mr Subodh Kumar Baroi, assistant divisional forest officer, Cooch Behar social forestry division, received a threat-call on Sunday evening. The callers threatened him of dire consequences. They also threatened him of winding up his official bungalow with bombs. The telephone call came following seizure of a huge volume of sawn teakwood and arrest of a timber smuggler at Dewanhat on Sunday morning. Four others of the gang however managed to escape.

 

Interrogating the arrested man the names of seven members of the timber smuggling gang were revealed. The FIR was lodged against them suspecting them involved in the threat call to the official. []

 

CPM retaliates Trinamul allegation over 'forcible cremation'

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 3: The CPI-M termed the allegation of 'forcible cremation' of a 15-year-old girl as a politically motivated and fabricated conspiracy hatched by Trinamul Congress. On behalf of the party's Sitai-Sitalkuchi zonal committee a memorandum was submitted to Cooch Behar SP, Mr Anil Kumar today demanding that no one should be harassed following the baseless complaint of murder. They also demanded strict action against those who are behind the conspiracy. The SP assured them that the matter would be probed thoroughly. Senior CPI-M leaders like Md Nuruddin Mian, Mr Amal Jha and Mr Sadananda Ray led the programme today.

 

District CPI-M secretary, Mr Chandi Pal said that the girl of Dakshin Nalgram – Madhabi Barman – was under treatment at Mathabhanga sub-divisional hospital. Her two kidneys were badly damaged. She was released out of the hospital because her condition was beyond any treatment. She died after three days. On the next day (22 June), she was cremated and her mother – Mrs Banubala Barman – performed the Mukhagni ritual. Her father – Mr Lalit Barman – and other relatives were present at the time of the cremation. Total thirty-five persons of that village including some Trinamul supporters attended the cremation ceremony. Her father had performed all the rituals according to Hindu beliefs, Mr Pal said.

 

But, on 27 June a complaint was lodged against seven persons. Mr Pal questioned why seven CPI-M men were selected leaving others. The mother of the girl did the Mukhagni but why no complaint was lodged against her? Trinamul Congress hatched a dirty plan to malign the image of the party, he alleged. "We are going to unmask the Trinamul's design at a large mass gathering at Gosairhat on Thursday", Mr Pal said.

 

Secretary of CPI-M's Sitai-Sitalkuchi zonal committee, Mr Amal Jha claimed that among the seven accused five are maternal uncles of Madhabi. Her father is an active Trinamul Congress supporter, he alleged. Leaving their residence in Koimari Gram Panchayat area the father and mother of the girl are now living elsewhere under Trinamul's shelter, he alleged. They were whisked away from the village so that no one can find out the truth by questioning them. It was not done for security because there are police to give them security cover, he opined.

 

Digging the police Mr Pal opined that it was not wise for police to start a case of murder without inquiring the matter. If it was necessary it should have to be done against all the thirty-five men who attended the cremation ceremony, he said.

 

On the otherhand, Trinamul Congress supporters demonstrated in front of Sitalkuchi police station in Mathabhanga today. They demanded arrest of the persons involved in the forcible cremation of Madhabi Barman. They alleged that the CPI-M unleashed a reign of terror in the area to suppress the gruesome incident. Police sources said that the inquiry is going on and no one was arrested till now. []

 

Car lifters held

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 3: Cooch Behar Kotowali Police seized a Sumo-Victa vehicle and arrested two persons from Cooch Behar last night. The car was stolen from Delhi in last April. During interrogation the arrested persons claimed that they bought the vehicle against Rs 2.70-lakh.  The actual owner of the car, Mr Rajendra Singh Karki, had lodged a complaint with police in Delhi on 25 April. He was informed of the recovery. Another such vehicle was seized in June. Police believes an interstate gang of car lifters are active in this region. Now they are using this route to smuggle out stolen vehicles to northeast states. []

 

GCPA case hearing

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 3: Hearing of cases against fifty-six GCPA men was held inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home today. It started yesterday. Two witnesses were examined in the court of district and sessions judge, Ms Anindita Roy Saraswati today. The hearing will be held daily till 13 July, GCPA's lawyer Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said. []