Jammu and Kashmir terror victims reach Murshidabad in coffins

BEHRAMPORE: Sounds of hooters and wailing villagers, heavy boots of securitymen and clanking noise of coffins being unloaded from vehicles — the sleepy village of Bahalnagar in Murshidabad’s Sagardighi woke up to a morning of despair on Thursday. Five farm workers were shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday evening.
Minister Firhad Hakim and Murshidabad MP Abu Taher Khan accompanied the convoy from Kolkata airport to Sagardighi.The five victims —Kamiruddin Sheikh (28), Naimuddin Sheikh (38), Rafiqul Sheikh (31), Rafique Sheikh (52) and Mursalim Sheikh (34) — worked in an apple orchard in Pulgaon.
“When Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought a delegation of European MPs to Jammu & Kashmir to prove that all is well there, the terrorists gunned down these five innocent workers. These killings prove peace is a far cry there. Our state government is beside the families of the victims,” Hakim said.
Around noon, state transport minister Subhendu Adhikary, minister of state for labour Zakir Hussain — MLA from Jangipur in the district — and Krishnagore Trinamool MP Mohua Moitra reached the spot. Adhikari handed Rs 5 lakh cheques to families of the deceased persons. Members and functionaries of the local gram panchayat upto the Zilla Parishad also handed sums of Rs 2 lakh in cash to each family.
Naimuddin Sheikh’s wife Abida Bibi told Adhikary that the money would soon be spent and requested him to arrange for long-term financial security for the families. Subhendu assured her demand would be considered. He gave the same assurance to Roshnara Bibi, wife of Kamiruddin.
The coffins landed at Kolkata airport late on Wednesday night. After formalities, vehicles — arranged by the state government — carrying the coffins set out around midnight on the five-hour road journey to Sagardighi.
On reaching Bahalnagar, the five coffins were brought down and placed beside each other. Residents of Bahalnagar and adjoining villages, including those in Birbhum reached Bahalnagar to pay their respects to the terror victims. Around 25,000 people had gathered to console kin of the dead. Soon, sobbing family members carried the coffin of their loved one to their respective homes. Minister Firhad Hakim visited each of the five homes and consoled their relatives.
Subhendu and others later accompanied the funeral procession during which villagers carried bodies of the victims to the graveyard located around 10 minutes from Bahalnagar.
The funerals took place on Thursday afternoon.