Staff Reporter :
A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Monday seeking formation of a Judicial Commission to investigate eviction process of Santals in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha district.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, a lawyer of Supreme Court, on Monday filed this petition on behalf of two Santal victims-Olivia Hembrom, wife of Dijen Tudu, and Rumila Kisku, wife of Ganesh Murmu of Jaypur village.
The petition sought directives from the HC upon Home Secretary and Law Secretary to submit a report after investigation by a Judicial Commission.
They submitted the petition praying to the court to issue a rule upon the government to explain why the eviction and torture on the Santal people at Gobindaganj should not be declared illegal.
Jyotirmoy Barua said that we sent a legal notice on November 15 on the matter. As we didn’t get any reply, we have filed a writ petition.
In the notice, the administration has been requested to inform in writing within 24 hours about what steps have been taken against the perpetrators who were involved in looting valuables, setting fire to the houses and killing “innocent” villagers at Jaypur village under Gobindaganj Upazila. Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua served the legal notice on behalf of Olivia Hembrom and Rumila Kisku saying that they would initiate legal action against the respondents in case of their failure to comply with the notice in 24 hours.
The clash on November 6 took place at Shahebganj cane farm of Rangpur Sugar Mills located in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha over harvesting sugarcane. The clash left two Santals dead and 25 people, including nine cops, injured.
