Five in-laws punished

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 19: Additional district judge Md Amjad Hossain today sentenced seven years to ten years rigorous imprisonment to a husband and four in-laws of a housewife who had to commit suicide in 2004 within six months after her marriage.

 

It was learnt from court sources that Mithu Saha, sister of one Bimal Saha of Shyamaprasad Colony was married off with Amitava Saha of Khagrabari in 2003. Adequate dowry was handed over during the marriage but the girl had to suffer tortures, both physically and mentally, in her in-laws' house since the wedding. At last she committed suicide on 16 March 2004 by consuming poison.

 

Following the incident Bimal Saha lodged a complaint at Cooch Behar Kotowali police station against his sister's husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and two brother-in-laws. In that case the judge at the Fast Track First Court convicted the accused five. Mr Ajay Guha Neogi was on the government in this case.

 

Today the judge sentenced ten years rigorous imprisonment to the husband and slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 under section 306 IPC. In default he will have to suffer for an additional two years behind the bars. The judge also ordered three years RI to him under section 498A IPC. The father-in-law, Nikhil Saha and remaining others were sentenced with RI for seven years and they will have to pay Rs 5,000 as fine under section 306 IPC. Under section 498A they were also sentenced with two years imprisonment. All the punishments will go on concurrently, court sources said. []

 

Forward Bloc to follow Kamal's footsteps

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 19: In the Cooch Behar district conference of Forward Bloc that was held on 1-3 December it was declared that, if necessary, the party may go alone in the panchayat elections. Now the state unit of the party too adopted the same line and it made the Cooch Behar district unit happy, said the newly elected secretary of district Forward Bloc, Mr Udayan Guha. "Now we have no hesitation to go alone in the ensuing panchayat polls without making any alliance with the CPI-M", he said.

 

In his first press meet after being elected secretary Mr Guha said a large number of Forward Bloc supporters will participate in the Nandigram Chalo (march to Nandigram) programme on 23 December following the call of state FB secretary Mr Ashok Ghosh. Campaign already started in all the block areas to make the programme a success, he said.

 

Mr Guha said they are trying to shun the association of anti-socials (read CPI-M) as far as possible. "Observing activities and utterances of some people like Mr Binay Konar we are considering them as anti-socials", he said. But he denied naming any specific CPI-M leader of this district.

 

Replying a question on participation in Left Front programmes in Cooch Behar district he said they would consider it after reviewing the issues. They are not in a mood to participate in programmes that are decided by CPI-M alone. Not solo decisions but joint decisions are to be considered as actual Left Front's decision, he clarified.

 

Mentionworthy, the Forward Bloc had decided not to participate in Left Front programmes after defeat of its two candidates in this district in the last Assembly elections. They had held the CPI-M responsible for the defeats. After demise of Kamal Guha the differences started narrowing and at last at a meeting of the Left front the two parties agreed to work jointly once again. But, following demands from grass root level supporters the FB had to change its line and it got back to the earlier line of confrontation with the CPI-M by remaining in the Left Front.

 

Mr Guha declared that in the rural polls they would field candidates in the seats where their organisational strength is good. In other seats they will act according to the situation. At the same time he made it clear that they will not do anything that weakens the Left Front. This policy is a clear sign that Junior Guha is ready to toe on his late father, the heavyweight Forward Bloc leader Kamal Guha. []

 

GCPA case hearing

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 19: The hearing of a case connected with the movement of The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) was nullified today at the court of District and Sessions Judge, Ms Anindita Roy Saraswati. As two witnesses failed to appear in the court the judge fixed 14 January as the next date of hearing. Out of forty-four accused forty-one were produced at the court.

 

The hearing of two cases against seventeen GCPA men was set aside on yesterday too at the same court because of similar reason. The lawyer of GCPA, Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said seventeen accused including GCPA leader Mr Bangshi Badan Barman were produced in the court that was held inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home yesterday. Public Prosecutor Mr Ganesh Chandra Roy Karmakar was on the government side.

 

Today's case against GCPA men is related with murder of two policemen. Yesterday's two cases were related with damaging of government property and bid to blaze a petrol pump. The incidents occurred during a movement of GCPA dated back on 20 September 2005. []

 

Renovated Brahma Mandir to attract visitors

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 19: Renovation of the age old Brahma Mandir is nearing to completion. A beautiful children's park and an art gallery are also coming up at the complex. There is a plan to establish a statue of Maharani Sunity Devi at the complex. If all go well the complex will be opened for the citizens in February, said the chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality Mr Biren Kundu. Union minister Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munsi is expected to inaugurate the renovated Brahma Mandir, he said.

 

Brahma Mandir is situated near the crossing of Keshav Road and Sunity Road in Cooch Behar town. The then rulers of princely state of Cooch Behar had established it in 1886. The building was ruining and on the verge of demolition due to lack of maintenance. The temple has endured years' of neglect and decay. Things came to such a pass that the temple, which was virtually reduced to a god-forsaken place, came to be ruled by anti-socials. At last, in 2001, the renovation work started and Cooch Behar Municipality was entrusted to do the job.

 

As the temple has a rich tradition and very much a part of Cooch Behar's history the main idea behind the repair work is to ensure that the basic structure and look is restored.

 

In 1878, the marriage of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan with Sunity Devi, the elder daughter of Keshav Chandra Sen sparked off a controversy. Sen was a leading luminary of the Brahma Samaj. Following the marriage the Brahma Samaj eventually faced a vertical split. Navabidhan Brahma Samaj was how the Sen led faction came to be known as. Finally, as per wish of the Queen, Brahma became the official religion of Cooch Behar. Congregations and prayers were being held regularly at the Brahma Mandir, which was built in 1886 at a cost of Rs 16,000.

 

Gajendra Narayan, who married Savitri Devi, the sister of Sunity Devi, was the founder secretary. The others who became secretaries included Prince Victor Nityendra Narayan, son of Sunity Devi, Manorathdhan Dey, Kedarnath Mukhopadhyay and Binit Kumar Mukhopadhyay. There was a beautiful tower, which was destroyed following an earthquake in 1897. It was not restored since.

 

Former Cooch Behar MP, Mr Amar Roy Pradhan had extended the fund for renovation of the temple. Cooch Behar Municipality is also spending from its own fund to build up the children' park and the art gallery. Already, an English medium school (Nivedita Academy) run by the civic body started functioning at the complex.

 

Alongwith the garden with seasonal flowers two large sized concrete-made Dinosaurs, a deer and a few rides are there to amuse the children. Water fountain and a cave are also coming up to add attraction. A little sum may be collected from the visitors as service tax to maintain the facilities, the Cooch Behar Municipality chairman Mr Kundu said. []

   

UBKV stir

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 19: Sit-in demonstration and cease work at the offices of Pundibari campus of UBKV will start afresh from 26 December. Secretary of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya unit of University Officers' Association Dr Mrigendra Ghosh said the as per earlier decision there will be holidays from 20 to 25 December at the university. After that they will intensify their agitation. Dr Ghosh declared that till withdrawal of the 'illegal' dismissal order that was issued by the vice-chancellor to the registrar the agitational programmes would continue in the UBKV as before. []