'Only 6 Rohingyas left in the last camp in West Bengal'
Kolkata/Baruipur, Oct 15: Most of the Rohingya refugees who had taken shelter in West Bengal have left allegedly out of fear of deportation and the only existing camp in South 24 Parganas district has six of its 29 inmates left, a spokesman of the organisation which had arranged their stay said on Monday.
Twenty two Rohingyas left the Hardaha camp in South 24 Parganas district after the October 4 deportation of seven Rohingya immigrants, who had been staying in Assam illegally, to their home country Myanmar, Hussein Gazi, spokesman of the organisation 'Desh Bachao Samajik Committee' told PTI.
Gazi said that the Rohingyas in the camp, besides several other local groups, became scared after hearing reports of the deportation.
He claimed that those deported had told their counterparts in the camps on being contacted that they had been "beaten up after their return to Myanmar."
They had reportedly also said that those in the camps should try to stay on in India and work for their living, he claimed.
"This had created great fear among the camp inmates and they do not want to return to Myanmar," Gazi said.
The organisation had set up camps for 400 Rohingyas at Basanti, Canning, Bhangor, Baruipur and Ghutiari Sharif in South 24 Parganas district.
"They (Rohingyas) were also scared after hearing reports that the Centre has asked states earlier this month to collect biometric details of all illegal migrants," Gazi said.
The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said on October 1 that the state governments have been asked to identify Rohingya refugees in their regions and collect their biometric details.
The Centre will send the biometric reports collected by states to the Myanmar government through diplomatic channel for the resolution of the issue, he had said.
Visits to the Rohingya camps by personnel of the Intelligence Bureau and the district intelligence bureau who inquired about the antecedents of the inmates and asked them to fill up a form had also worried them, Ghazi said.
The six Rohingyas who are still in the Hardaha camp include two women and three children from two families, he said.
Asked where the Rohingyas who left the camp had gone, Gazi said, "We have been told many of them have headed towards Jammu."
Some had said they were going to Hyderabad to find jobs, he said.
The Hardaha camp had come up on Gazi's land on December 2017. One group of Rohingyas started living there in January 2018, while another group arrived in March.
The other camps included rented premises too.
"We had sent a letter to the West Bengal Chief Minister's Office months back for help and security but there was no reply," Gazi said.
He said 56 organisations, including Bandi Mukti Committee, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights, Centre for Protection of Democratic Rights will meet after Durga Puja to chalk out the next course of action to ensure safety of the Rohingyas in the camps.
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Violence reported in several parts of Kerala after civic poll results
Kozhikode (PTI): Violence erupted overnight at various places across Kerala, particularly in northern districts, following the announcement of local body election results, police said.
In Eramala in Kozhikode district, tension prevailed throughout the night after the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, a Congress office, was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
A statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi was also damaged in the attack, police said. Soon after, UDF activists gathered at the spot, further aggravating the situation.
However, with the deployment of additional police personnel, the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
Police said another violent incident was reported at Marad, where stones were allegedly pelted at a UDF victory procession, leaving several persons injured.
In Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, police registered a case after a car carrying a UDF activist and his family members was allegedly attacked by around 40 CPI(M) workers, an official said.
Sultan Bathery police also booked UDF activists in a separate incident for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker who objected to the bursting of crackers near his house, the officer said.
In Panoor in Kannur district, houses of several Muslim League activists were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers. Vehicles parked at the houses were also damaged.
According to Panoor police, the violence broke out after a UDF victory rally was allegedly stopped by CPI(M) workers armed with swords and daggers. Some UDF leaders sustained injuries in the clash.
Clashes were also reported between UDF and LDF workers at Ulikkal in Kannur district, though police intervention brought the situation under control later in the night, an officer in the Ulikkal police station said.
In Bedakom in Kasaragod district, an LDF victory march turned violent after CPI(M) activists allegedly intercepted UDF workers passing through the area. Some policemen who intervened suffered minor injuries, an officer said.
Similar violence was reported from Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers. Police said workers from both sides sustained minor injuries and were admitted to hospitals. Cases will be registered after formal complaints are received, police said.
