Pak army, Alim's men killed 370 people

Another prosecution witness yesterday testified that the Pakistan army and its local collaborators belonging to war crimes accused Abdul Alim's Peace Committee had killed at least 370 people at several Hindu villages in Joypurhat in 1971.
Jogen Chandra Paul, the 26th witness in the case against Alim, told International Crimes Tribunal-2 he had left the country being frightened by the ruthlessness of the massacre.
The fourth, 24th and 25th prosecution witnesses in the case have also testified to having witnessed the same massacre.
Ajit Mohanta said Alim was the “key person” behind organising the daylong massacre, while Bhagirath Chandra Barman said Alim had “ordered”the killing of 350-370 Hindus at several Hindu villages in Joypurhat on April 26, 1971.
Molla Shamsul Alam said Alim had come to Kadipur with the Pakistani army on April 26 and pointed out to the army Hindu localities, including Sonarpara, Jugipara and Palpara neighbourhoods of Kadipur.
Alim, the alleged chairman of Joypurhat Peace Committee, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army and a former minister in the late president Ziaur Rahman's cabinet, was indicted on 17 charges, including murder and genocide committed during the Liberation War.
During his 22-minute testimony, Jogen, a resident of Karai Palpara, one of the villages that came under attack in Joypurhat, said he had heard screams from Kadipur on a Monday noon in the second week of the Bangla month Baishakh [April 22 to 28, 1971].
“I was at home. I heard that the Pakistani army and activists of Abdul Alim's Peace Committee had come to Kadipur,” said Jogen, adding that the Hindus of their village started running amok.
When Jogen was leaving home, he saw some men with sticks and flags in their hands chasing many people towards the west, said the witness, adding, “I assumed that those men [attackers] were Alim Saheb's Shanti Committee men.”
Seeing this, the witness took shelter in a graveyard and saw Alim's men gathering many people at Dome Pukur beating them up with sticks, said Jogen, who is now 64.
“After some time, I heard the sound of several gunshots from the Dome Pukur. I could see the Dome Pukur from my position,” said Jogen, adding that looting and torching of houses was also rampant.
Half an hour after the sunset, Jogen came out from hiding and went to Dome Pukur.
“There I saw piles of dead bodies,” said Jogen, adding that he could recognise the bodies of Krishna, Shiben and Tarmuja. At this point of his testimony, Jogen broke down in tears.
He said after that incident he had left the country for India. He added he had learned after returning home that 370 people were killed on that fateful day.
The two-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan [the third member was absent] recorded Jogen's testimony and adjourned the proceedings until today when he will face cross-examination.