CPM hostage flees, recalls horror

The CPM, after recapturing Nandigram, not only killed several persons but also took 13 as hostages to
a jungle in Orissa. This came to light on Monday after one of them managed to flee from captivity and reported the matter to the police here.

“Sheikh Rafikul, son of Sheikh Golam, managed to flee from the jungle near Cuttack and lodged a complaint with the Nandigram police,” said Bhabani Das, convenor of the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC).

Battered and bruised Rafikul said he is terrified with the way he and the others were abducted. “On November 11, a group of armed CPM people kidnapped me from Osmanchak after I refused to take part in their victory celebrations,” he told HT on Tuesday.

“A group dragged me out of my house at South Khalichak. When my family members tried to rescue me, they were beaten up. I was blindfolded before being taken to Hazrakhata in south Nandigram and eventually to Khejuri, where I was forced to board a trawler, on which I found 12 other villagers who had been abducted,” he said.

“After travelling for 12 hours, we were forced to get off at a small island,” he said. Rafikul said he was taken to a cave in Orissa, where he was tortured for hours along with others. “Look how they treated me,” he said, pointing to his swollen face and bruises all over his body.

He refused to be photographed, saying he would be killed if his picture was published. After two days, Rafikul fled from captivity under the pretext of going to answer nature’s call. After running for two hours, he reached Cuttack. As he no money, Rafikul called his parents, who came to the town to take him back home.

Superintendent of Police, S.S. Panda said: “I will probe into the matter and if required, take the help of the Orissa Police to rescue the other kidnapped men.”

Ashok Guria, CPM district committee member dismissed claims of cadres abducting villagers. “Allegations of kidnapping are baseless. They (BUPC and Trinamool) are trying to cook up stories now.”