KOLKATA: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), along with CPI(M) leaders, on Monday visited the bereaved family of Janab Mafik at Karishunda village in the Indas area of Bankura district in West Bengal and demanded the arrest of all those allegedly involved in his death within 10 days, besides a court monitored probe into the conduct of police personnel at Indas police station.
Janab Mafik, the father of CJP volunteer Shaik Abdul Hafeez, died at a government medical college and hospital on Saturday night after a group of people allegedly backed by local BJP workers attacked his family at their residence in Karishunda village.
CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka, accompanied by other associates of the platform from Delhi, and a CPI(M) team led by the party's state committee member Shatarup Ghosh, visited the family members at Karishunda village without carrying party flags.
"We are giving the Bengal government 10 days. All the accused should be arrested and sent to jail within this period, and all necessary legal sections should be invoked against them," Ranka told reporters after meeting the family.
He also demanded security for the bereaved family and a court monitored investigation into the role of police personnel posted at Indas police station, alleging that the police administration had not adequately supported the family.
Ranka said the family had declined government compensation and that Mafik's son, Abdul Hafiz, had instead demanded the construction of an international standard school in his father's name.
"He has said that an international standard school should be built in his father's name. We appeal to the Bengal government to fulfil this demand," Ranka said.
Hafiz, speaking in the presence of the CJP leader, said such a school would be an appropriate tribute to his father and could become a new model of public mobilisation around education.
Ranka also alleged that Hafiz and his mother were aware of some other suspected persons who had not yet been arrested.
"If the accused are not nabbed within 10 days and our other demands are not met, we will gherao the district administration office and subsequently intensify our agitation demanding justice for the victim," Ghosh said.
According to police, eight people have been arrested following a written complaint lodged by Mafik's wife, Hasina Begum, at Indas police station on Sunday. She had named five persons and alleged that 10 to 15 people were involved in the attack.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday rejected the BJP's involvement in the alleged murder of the father of the CJP volunteer in Indas.
Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Sunday afternoon, the Chief Minister said, “The incident has no link with politics. Culprits involved in the case will not be spared. Three among the five named in the FIR have already been arrested. All of them are criminals. The remaining will also be nabbed and actions will also be taken as per law. BJP is not involved in the incident.”
According to the CJP, Hafeez had joined the protest movement at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the NEET paper leak, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
After returning home to Indas, the 25 year old Hafeez was allegedly attacked after inspecting a government school as part of the CJP's "School Thik Karo" campaign. He had video recorded the deplorable condition of the school on 13 August as part of the movement.
A group of local influential residents allegedly attacked him and his parents at their residence in Karishunda after the video went viral on social media platforms.
His father, Mafik, died on Saturday from severe head injuries sustained during the alleged assault at the family's residence, according to the CJP.
The CJP alleged that armed individuals identified as local BJP workers forcibly entered Hafeez's residence later that evening.
According to a CJP statement issued earlier on Sunday, Hafeez alleged in a video recorded from the hospital that a school teacher had informed the political workers about his civic inspection, which prompted the subsequent attack.
"When Hafeez refused to comply, the individuals allegedly launched a violent assault on his family," it said.
Hafeez suffered a severe neck injury, while his father sustained critical blunt force trauma to the head, according to the statement.
His father later succumbed to his injuries on August 15, it said.
CJP founder and national convener Abhijeet Dipke said, "We will not be silenced and intimidated. We will keep fighting for better schools. CJP stands firmly with Abdul and his family. We demand the immediate arrest of those responsible for his father's death.”
Dipke launched the "School Thik Karo" campaign to highlight the condition of government schools and push for improvements in school infrastructure and education. As part of the campaign, citizens have been encouraged to visit government schools, assess their condition and bring deficiencies to public attention.
SFI activists also organised protest programmes across the state on Monday against the incident in Indas.