Allegations have emerged that the father of a volunteer with the CJP (Citizens for Justice and Peace) died following an attack linked to an inspection of government school conditions in West Bengal. CJP has demanded the swift arrest of those involved.
CJP founder Abhijit Deep said: “We cannot be silenced or intimidated. We will continue our fight for better schools. CJP stands firmly with Abdul and his family. We demand the immediate arrest of those responsible for his father’s death. Our CJP team will travel to Bengal and ensure that Abdul and his family receive justice.”
The organization’s chief spokesperson, Sourav Das, also strongly condemned the incident, saying: “We are deeply concerned for Abdul. His father died at the hands of BJP goons. What was his crime? He had planned to conduct a social audit of his local government school. Abdul, the entire CJP family stands with you. We will not rest until those goons are brought to justice.”
CJP further alleged that no medico-legal case was initiated after the attack, and no FIR was filed initially either. The organization has demanded an impartial investigation into the cause of Mafik’s death, the attack itself, and the alleged failure to take legal action.
The organization has called on Indas police station to swiftly arrest the accused and ensure the safety of Hafiz and his family. It also said a delegation from CJP’s national working committee, led by co-convener Ashutosh Ranka, would travel to West Bengal to express solidarity with Hafiz and his family and demand justice and accountability.
According to CJP, 25-year-old volunteer Sheikh Abdul Hafiz was attacked after inspecting a government school as part of the organization’s “Fix the School” campaign. His father, Mafik, was seriously injured in the attack and died Saturday while under treatment.
According to CJP’s statement, Hafiz visited a government school in his own village in the Karisunda area of Bankura district on August 13 to inspect its infrastructure. CJP alleges that armed individuals identified as local BJP workers forcibly entered Hafiz’s residence that evening.
According to the statement, in a video recorded from the hospital, Hafiz alleged that a school teacher had informed political activists about his municipal inspection, which led to the subsequent attack.
The statement said the attackers then pressured Hafiz to record a video apologizing for highlighting the school’s poor condition and claiming he had acted at the instigation of outside forces. CJP alleges that when Hafiz refused, his family was attacked. Hafiz suffered a serious injury to his neck, and his father, Mafik, was struck severely on the head.
Following the attack, Hafiz recorded a video from the hospital describing his injuries and was forced to flee to Kolkata amid ongoing safety concerns.
The statement said his father subsequently died from his injuries on August 15.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report