Attack on indigenous Tripura women to grab their land in Mirsharai,10injured
On 19 June 2015,10 women and children were injured on an attack allegedly by a gang of perpetrators in ReserveparaTila of MadhyamTalbaria village under Mirsharai upazila of Chittagong district.
It is learnt that, on that day around 11:00 am,a gang of perpetrators,numbering about 10-11,came to Nirupati’s land and cut down hundreds of trees belonging to her with the intent to grab the land. Learning the news, she rushedto the land with some of her female neighbors accompanying. As they tried to obstruct, perpetrators cracked down on them and beat them indiscriminately. The attack leftNirupati Tripura, 45, Puspamala Tripura, 34, Sandhya rani Tripura,50, ChandrabatiTripura, 32, Nabati Tripura, 35,amongothers, injured. At the sametime the same miscreantsalso allegedly attempted to rape Nirupati Tripura.
It is learnt that about 14-15 years ago Nirupati Tripura leased one acre of landfrom Forest Department situatednearby to her house and has been using it for growing fruits. She is known to have been successful in growing papaya and banana on that land.
Meanwhile, perpetrators have beenattemptingto grab her land. They have attempted to threat and intimidate her in different ways. As a part of that, they choppeddown the fruit trees planted by Nirupati and started to cultivate on that land. The alleged perpetrators are- Md. Mamun, 18, son of Md. Babul Sawodagor, Md. Tushar, 18, son of Md. AbulKashem, Md. Sohag son of Md. BabulSawodagor, Saiful Islam,22, son of Late Md. Nuna Islam, Alauddin, 19, son of unknown, Kabir Ahmed, 20, son of late Md. Jamshed Ali et al.
On the sameday Nirupati Tripura informed the Chairman of local Union Parishad (UP),JafarUddin Ahmed Choudhury, also the Mirsharai Union unitpresident of a sister organization of Awami League about the incident. But he denied to provide any assistance. Thefollowing day,on 20 June,Nirupati went to him again. Then he suggested her to lodge complain to the police station.
On 21 June Nirupatiwent to the local police station to file a complaint but the duty officer refused to take the case. He rather suggested her to solve the case locally and sent her to forest department officer. TheForest department officer also refused to do anything.
Later Nirupatiwent several times to the local UPchairman regarding this issues but nofurther initiative was taken by him. It is alleged that chairman remainedsilent as the attackers are involved with the politics of the rulingAwami League.
As Nirupatikept searching for justice, threats and intimidation continued from the end of the alleged perpetrators. It is reported that JafarUddin Ahmed Choudhury threatenedNirupati’s son Ananda Tripura to death. Now Nirupati Tripura and her family are living under fear of attack. No action has been taken by any local authorities. Even no case has been filed as yet in this connection. As a result, the perpetrators still remain scot-free.
