Kolkata: Parts of Kolkata turned into a battlefield throwing away life out of gear after police clashed with Aliah University students while they were protesting against the brutal murder of fellow student Anish Khan at his Amta residence.
Protest rallies have erupted since Saturday evening, as the news of student leader Anish’s alleged murder reached the state capital. Students of Aliah University, where he was a student, have been active in rallying to create pressure and demand for justice for their slain peer. The 27-year-old was allegedly pushed from the terrace of his house, a three-storey building by three men, wearing a police uniform, claimed his father.
Anish, a student of MBA, was very active socially and had not just participated in the anti-CAA-NRC movement in Bengal but was also holding a 137-day long protest in the varsity itself, before being killed.
On Tuesday, the protesting students of Aliah University took out a protest rally from the Park Circus area in south Kolkata to submit a deputation to Minister of Minority affairs Ghulam Rabbani at Writers’ Building.
Following the clash with the police, the students changed their route of the protest march and crossed Moulali, Sealdah, Rajabazar and visited the College Street area where they were finally stopped by the police again.
Anish’s friend Sadikul Rehman said that they will cross all ‘hurdles’ being posed by the police and that they will submit the deputation to Rabbani.
“The death of a student is a serious issue. The lives of protesting students are also important. The police can stop one day but we will keep on agitating,” said Rehman.
The College Street area in Central Kolkata turned into a battlefield after police resorted to lathi-charge and stopped the protesting students who were later arrested.
Students of Presidency University and Jadavpur University also protested to show their solidarity with protesters demanding justice for Anish.
Following the arrest of the protesting students of Aliah University, later in the evening, students of Jadavpur University took on to the streets and burnt a picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in front of Jadavpur police station.
Meanwhile, SIT team formed by Mamata Banerjee visited the deceased Anish’s house today.
According to his elder brother Shabir Khan, the police forced them to accept a notice brought by them stating that the police wants to take Anish’s mobile in ‘their custody’.
“The police even threatened us, saying that they would take action against us if we didn’t accept the notice. According to them, they can get the evidence from my brother’s phone. We have refused to take the notice as we will not hand over the mobile of Anish,” said Shabir.
Anish’s father Salam Khan said that he had requested the police to arrest the alleged ‘culprits’ before demanding his son’s mobile phone.
“I have asked the police whether they have arrested the culprits or not? Without answering the query they forcibly wanted to take the mobile and charger of Anish. They want to establish that my son is a criminal,” said the father.
Two days after the alleged murder, the family member had found his mobile at the residence but refused to hand it over to police as they believe that police might ‘tamper’ with it.
The family wants to hand over the phone to either Calcutta High Court or CBI to investigate Anish’s death.
Incidentally, following the verbal petition over Anish Khan’s death case by the lawyer of his family, the Justice of Calcutta High Court had asked the lawyer to submit a written petition which the court had taken a suo moto cognizance.
The hearing of the case is due on February 24.
Earlier today, the SIT team headed by DIG operations CID Miraz Khaled and Joint CP Barrackpore Drubojyoti De visited Anish’s residence to take the statement of the father.
Refusing to comment anything before the SIT team, elder brother Sabir Khan said that they only ‘believe’ and ‘trust’ CBI probe on this issue.
“Let SIT probe their way but we want a CBI probe. My father, me and the entire village want a CBI probe. Mamata didi should instruct CBI probe immediately,” demanded Sabir.
However, three policemen were suspended from Amta police station.
According to Amta police station, an assistant sub-inspector Nirmal Das, a constable Jeetendra Hembrom and a civic volunteer Kashinath Bera of Amata police station have been suspended for negligence in duty.
