Roni Antony & Avinash Shahi
Port Blair, Apr 22: Thousands of mainland labourers of the Bengali community staged a peaceful march this morning from Bathu Basti to the IP&T parking lot in demand of justice against the manhandling of two labourers by two locals at Shiv colony in Dollygunj yesterday.
According to reports on 21st April morning at around 7:30 AM when a contractor named Jagannath and an old man were going out for their works, two people on Motorcycle named Abdullah Kutty and Nabeen, who are not a resident of Dollygunj area, suddenly stopped for asking an address.
When Jagannath and the old man with him were unable to tell them the address the people of the motorbike demanded for the Identity proof of the labourers and when they denied saying that they don’t have the authority to ask for identity card,Mr. Abdullah Kutty and Nabeen reportedly started beating the old man and Jagannath.
Afraid of the attack when Mr. Jagannath and the old man started to run, the bikers hit Jagannath with a wooden block and kicked the old man on the chest.
Jagannath was referred from Garacharma hospital to G B Pant where he received 13-14 stitches on the head.
Today labourers of the Bengali community staged this march in demand of justice against the incident, walking all the way from Bathu Basti to the IP&T parking lot where they gathered. The labourers were led by Mr. Prakash Adhikari, ex-president Bangla Joint Action Committee.
Racial profiling, which was not known to people of these Islands has become a reality now. Earlier few months back the BJAC had organised a massive rally against attacks based on racial profiling in Andaman.
“We are ready to show our identity proof to anyone from law enforcing agency, why should we show identity proof to anyone else. We want justice and demand strict punishment for the accused. They should not be released on bail,” said an angry labourer.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, Mr. Prakash Adhikari, ex-President of BJAC said that the accused have no right to disturb people of certain linguistic groups, people like them must be identified and should be punished, who are spreading disturbance in society. “There are people who are spreading hatred in society they must be identified and should be dealt accordingly as per law,” said Mr. Adhikari.
Meanwhile, according to highly placed sources both the accused have already been arrested yesterday and were sent to Judicial Remand today. Sources said both the accused were under influence of liquor when this incident took place.
