Horror spectre still haunts village as probe stalls

Investigations into the Banshkhali arson, in which 11 people of a Hindu family were burnt to death on November 2003, has been stalled for the last few months allegedly for slacking off on it by the police.

Even after two years of the horrific attack, village Sadhanpur of Banshkhali upazila has yet to get back to normal. The house of Tejendra Lal Shil still lies desolate as none of the surviving family members dare to live there.

The police in last 24 months failed to make any major breakthrough in the investigation and the charge sheet in the case has yet to be submitted.

Although they have arrested 29 accused in the incineration case, they seem quite indifferent to arresting the prime suspect, a ruling-party-backed UP chairman. The chairman's name came up as 'the mastermind behind the carnage' in confessional statements of almost all the arrestees.

When asked about the latest developments in the probe, Investigation Officer Clarence Gomez, also an ASP of Satkania circle, yesterday said the case is now at the home ministry's monitoring cell and he would submit the charge sheet only when the ministry asks him to do so.

When asked why UP Chairman Aminur Rahman Chowdhury, the prime suspect, has not yet been held, Gomez said the matter lies with the higher authorities, not him.

On the night of November 18, 2003, Tejendra Shil and 10 others including a newborn baby were incinerated. The others killed on that night include Tejendra's wife Bakul Bala Shil, 60, his son Anil Shil, 42, daughter in-law Smriti Rani Shil, 30, two grand children Rumi Shil, 12, Sonia Shil, 7, three nieces Babuty Shil, 25, Prasadi Shil, 17, Annie Shil, 07, a four-day-old baby and another close relation Debendra Shil, 72.

Immediately after the barbaric attack, Tejendra's son Dr Bimal Shil and his [Tejendra] brother Shachindra Lal Shil, who lost her three daughters (Babuty, Prasadi and Annie) in the arson, left their village house, and since then have been staying in the city.

The day after the carnage, a 10-member police camp led by a havilder was set up on the yard of the house. The camp is still there to guard the gutted house.