Youth assaulted in Bengal by goons

Kolkata, July 16 (IANS) Days after the horrific killing of a college student by goons, yet another youth has been allegedly assaulted in West Bengal for standing up against anti-social elements, police said Wednesday.

Following the Tuesday night assault on Srikanta Bhadra in Bamangachi area of North 24-Parganas district, two people have been arrested, police said.

Bhadra, a member of the protest platform formed after the murder of Sourav Chowdhury who stood up against anti-socials, was attacked by goons for raising his voice against drunkards and other anti-social elements.

"These guys used to get drunk and create ruckus and harass woman in the locality, which I always protested," said Bhadra.

"Last night, two of the guys attacked me first at a station and later at my house, threatening me with dire consequences for protesting their evils," he said.

However, the youths of the locality are unfazed by the assault and assert their campaign against the criminals and the hooch business will only gain momentum.

Sourav's brother Sandip said: "First my brother was killed and now Srikanta has been attacked. But they are mistaken if they think they can stifle the voice of protest by violence. The voice will only grow stronger."

"However, my grievance is against police who still have done nothing to prevent such incidents."

The ruling Trinamool Congress, which has been under severe attack over the killing of Sourav, whose severely mutilated and severed body was recovered from railway tracks July 5, has once again been targeted by opposition parties over the latest assault.

Condemning the attack on Bhadra, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have expressed concern over the falling law and order in the state.

"The Trinamool has left the responsibility of running the society on criminals and anti-socials, and naturally whoever tries to protest or intervene is being attacked," state BJP president Rahul Sinha said.

"These incidents are glaring examples of the rapidly declining law and order," he said.

"Such incidents are continuing unabated and now there is no doubt as to the alarming law and order situation," senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said.

"With the administration preferring to be a mute spectator, the only way left for the people to save themselves is to set up their own army," Bhattacharya added.

Social activists too have deplored the attack and pointed fingers at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier was found sharing dais with two of her party leaders alleged to be involved in murder cases.

"One can imagine the fate of law and order situation of a state where the chief minister shares the dais with criminals," said woman activist Bolan Ganguly.