Bengal workers, picked up by Kashmir police, missing

‘In connection with the Bardhaman blast case’

October 25, 2014 09:46 am | Updated May 23, 2016 03:53 pm IST - Kolkata:

Two migrant workers from West Bengal’s Birbhum district have disappeared after being picked-up in Kashmir about a fortnight back allegedly by local police in connection with the Bardhaman blast.

They were picked up in the presence of Rabiul Ali (30), who is the younger brother of one of the disappeared workers. Mr Ali claimed to have been told by the police that they have acted at the behest of “intelligence agencies” for “cases registered in Bengal.”

Zulfiqar Ali (35) and Haider Ali (34) from Nayagram village in Birbhum district went to Kashmir as construction workers. Zulfiqar’s younger brother Rabiul Ali witnessed one of the ‘arrests' on October 6. Both were picked up from their house and taken to Baramulla police station.

“Police personnel three vans came looking for us,” Rabiul said. While he was released within few hours, Zulfiqar was detained.

A day later, on October 7, Haider Ali was picked up while Rabiul had gone out for work. “Haider called up and asked me to return; I saw many men in khaki and did not enter the house,” Rabiul said. Next day Rabiul took train to his hometown.

The relatives of Zulfiqar and Haider have no clue about the disappeared men.

“When my brother (Zulfiqar) was picked up, I asked my friends to accompany me to the Baramula police station. My friends spoke to the officers as I am not comfortable with the language.

The police said they were picked up for the Bardhaman and they did so at the behest of intelligence agencies,” Rabiul told The Hindu .

The State Committee member of CPI (ML), Malay Tiwari, who is in touch with the families, said Muslims were under “huge pressure” after the October 2 blast.

‘Violation of Supreme Court guidelines’

“Where are the men, why are they not produced in court and why there is no formal complaint?” asked Mr Tiwari.

“This is in violation of Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Supreme Court guidelines as the police is bound to produce arrest memo, inform the families and produce them in the court within 24 hours,” said eminent human rights activist Sujato Bhadra.

“Now, there is no other option but to file a habeas corpus,” he added.

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