Attack on Santals: 71 people get anticipatory bail

The High Court today granted anticipatory bail to 71 people, most of whom are Santals, for six weeks in four separate cases filed in connection with the clash in Gobindaganj of Gaibandha on November 6 last year.  

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath passed the orders of bail after hearing eight separate petitions filed by the accused seeking bail in the cases.

The accused petitioners appeared before the HC bench seeking anticipatory bail in the cases filed in July, August and September last year.

Petitioners’ lawyer Advocate Abu Obaidur Rahman told The Daily Star that Rangpur Sugar Mill authorities and police have filed the four cases against 71 petitioners, most of whom are Santals of Gobindaganj, on different charges including that of illegally constructing houses and laying seize to a police camp.   

On November 6 last year, police along with the staff of the mill reportedly clashed with the ethnic minorities during a drive to evict them from around 100 acres of the sugarcane farm, which had been acquired from the ancestors of the indigenous community. Santals now want the land in Gobindaganj back saying an agreement signed in 1962 after the land acquirement was violated.

The clash left two Santals dead, six missing and 20 others, including nine policemen, injured.