West Bengal teenager shot dead while shooting reels with handgun
Kolkata, Nov 22: A class eight student was killed after a bullet pierced his skull when he was shooting reels with a handgun in West Bengal's Malda district, police said on Friday.
The incident happened in the Kaliachak area of the district on Thursday afternoon when the handgun, the teenager was using to shoot the video at his house, accidentally fired, a senior police officer said.
Safiul Islam (13) was shooting the video on the roof of his residence at Srirampur under the jurisdiction of Kaliachak police station when a bullet from the 7 mm pistol went off and pierced his skull.
The minor's neighbours and family members rushed to the roof on hearing the sound of a gunshot and took him to a hospital where the doctors declared Islam dead.
"We are trying to trace the source of the gun, which was an improvised pistol having sophisticated features," the officer said.
Another minor, stated to be a friend of the deceased, was detained by police.
He reportedly told the police that the deceased was addicted to mobile handsets and was making reels when the accidental firing took place, the officer said.
It was initially believed that Saiful was alone when the incident occurred, while interrogations revealed that the detained minor was also present there.
He fled the spot amid chaos after the incident, the police officer added.
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Activists write open letter to Odisha govt flagging anti-Christian violence
New Delhi: Activists and rights campaigners John Dayal, Aakar Patel, Vidya Dinker and Harsh Mander have expressed serious concern over the alleged rise in violence and intimidation against Christians in several districts, accusing both Hindutva organisations and sections of the police of targeting the minority community.
In a strongly worded communication addressed to the state administration, the signatories said they had received disturbing testimonies from affected people regarding social boycott, denial of burial rights, physical assaults and police intimidation.
According to the activists, Christians in some areas were allegedly boycotted by villagers, while people who traded with them, employed them or provided them shelter were also targeted.
The letter also highlighted what it described as “gruesome” incidents involving the prevention of burials of Christians within village burial grounds and even on privately owned lands belonging to Christian families. The activists said there were cases where bodies remained unburied for days due to opposition from local groups, while in some instances burials were allegedly forced to take place in forest areas outside village limits. Funeral prayers were also reportedly disrupted.
The signatories further alleged that in certain districts the violence escalated into physical assaults on Christians. They claimed that some victims were tied to trees and beaten, while others were allegedly placed inside sacks and assaulted. The letter also mentioned a few reported instances of sexual violence and attempts to burn people alive, which, according to them, were stopped at the last moment.
Expressing particular concern, the activists said many victims had testified that police personnel joined hands with Hindutva organisations to force Christians into signing “compromise” agreements. These agreements allegedly required them to give up their faith and stop collective worship.
The letter also accused the police of registering serious criminal cases against victims of attacks instead of taking action against the attackers. According to the signatories, many of those attacked were detained in police stations and jails, while in some cases the police themselves allegedly played a direct role in intimidation and violence against Christians.
Stating that there appeared to be a “complete breakdown in the constitutional machinery of the state” in relation to Christian minorities, the activists urged the administration to uphold and protect the constitutional and religious rights of all citizens without discrimination based on religion, caste or creed.
The letter was signed by John Dayal, Aakar Patel, Vidya Dinker and Harsh Mander.
