Plight of Ranghat Villagers
Ranghat village, located under Mouza Ranghat, Gram Panchayet Ranghat, consists of 602 families with a total population of 2,941 individuals–1,490 males and 1,451 females. The villagers predominantly belong to OBC Muslim and Scheduled Caste Hindu communities and depend on farming and fishing in the Kodalia River for their livelihood.

Ranghat village is virtually surrounded by the Kodalia River and Bangladesh (ChowgachaUpazila) on its northern, eastern, and western sides. The only access to India is from the south through a narrow corridor, which is heavily monitored by BSF personnel stationed at a Naka check post at “Van More.” Beyond this point, the border remains unguarded due to the absence of border fencing by the CPWD and a lack of consistent BSF patrolling, making the area highly vulnerable to cross-border infiltration and criminal activities.

Intruders from Bangladesh frequently cross the Kodalia River to commit crimes such as theft, robbery, destruction of crops, and dacoity in this Indian village, freely. The villagers live in constant fear for their safety and property. The absence of a secured border and the failure of the authorities to ensure effective surveillance have left the villagers exposed to continuous threats from cross-border criminals. This situation has severely affected their livelihood, particularly for farmers whose crops are frequently destroyed.

The restrictive measures imposed by the BSF have resulted in the social and economic isolation of Ranghat village. Neighbouring villages avoid any interaction or relationship with the residents of Ranghat out of fear of being harassed or implicated by the BSF. This has led to the marginalisation of the village, depriving the villagers of essential social and economic connections that are vital for their development and well-being.

The BSF’s conduct towards the villagers is marked by arbitrary searches, harassment, and intimidation, often targeting women, children, and students. Frequent searches and unnecessary restrictions on movement have made daily life unbearable for the villagers.

Women and young girls are subjected to humiliating treatment during security checks, violating their right to dignity and personal security under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Children and students face interruptions in their education as they are often stopped, questioned, and harassed while travelling for education located outside the village. The freedom of movement guaranteed under Article 19 is being systematically curtailed, resulting in psychological trauma and a deep sense of insecurity among the residents.

BanglarManabadhikarSuraksha Mancha (MASUM) has urged the Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission to intervene and protect the villagers of Ranghat.
Kirity Roy
Secretary, MASUM

Women Raped in Prison Cells
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the last weeks as a vicious rebel militia captured Goma–a city of a million people in eastern Congo. Militia members allowed a prison break, and escaped inmates raped hundreds of women in their cells then burned the prison down with them still inside. This may be the most horrific atrocity yet in Congo’s brutal conflict–and local faith leaders are risking their lives to speak out against the violence and launch a grassroots call for peace.

For years, the M23 militia waged a campaign of murder, rape, kidnapping and looting. Even before the latest atrocity its soldiers had raped scores of women and girls. In 2022, they massacred 300 innocent villagers. M23 is reportedly backed by Rwanda as part of a plan to annex parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rwanda has denied it. But the governments of DRC, France and the United States, as well as the UN, have politely called on Rwandan leaders to stop supporting the rebels. But neither the UN nor most western governments have done anything more than ask politely.

Now the people of eastern Congo are taking it upon themselves to end the killing. Doing this is beyond dangerous–without international backing the negotiations could fail and the region could be plunged once again into senseless bloodshed.

Join the local leaders’ call to governments in Europe and Africa to back their plan, support a ceasefire, and demand immediate access for humanitarian responders.

The Avaaz movement has helped victims of war from Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria to Myanmar, Sudan and Yemen. All humans everywhere deserve to live in peace.
Nate, John, Mo, and the rest of the Avaaz team

1 Crore Drop-outs
The drop of 1 crore students enrolling in schools is alarming. It poses a significant threat to the future of the nation. An educated populace is the backbone of nation-building; a decline in enrollment dilutes the country’s collective potential. The government must urgently focus on enhancing educational accessibility, quality, and relevance to ensure that every child can contribute meaningfully to society. Investing in youth means investing in India’s future. The Centre should create an inclusive education system that fosters hope and opportunity for all.
TS Karthik, Chennai

Targeting bsCEM
Four student activists (Gaurav, Gauraang, Kiran and Rahul) of Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (bsCEM) from Delhi University were detained by the police and taken to Vasant Kunj police station at 3am on 4th February and their phones were seized. They were doing wall paintings against Operation Kagar—a genocidal military operation undertaken in Bastar by the BJP government which is claimed to be the “final solution” to the Maoist insurgency but murdering numerous adivasis as well as the revolutionary communists. The wall paintings also condemned the recent Tolimeta fake encounters in Bijapur district of Bastar and wrote the famous Supreme Court verdict given upon fake encounter of Maoist leader Azad—“A Republic must not kill its own children”.

The activists were kept in illegal detention for more than 12 hours and were not allowed to contact anyone. Around 12 pm the police lied about releasing them but they were still not picking up calls. After further enquiry, it was discovered that the activists were still kept in Vasant Kunj police station and were being illegally investigated by the same NIA and IB team that had carried out the previous illegal investigation of bsCEM in May 2024. The four had been brutally assaulted by the police and intelligence officers for hours before and during the investigation. Gauraang had been beaten up so much for more than half an hour that his ear was bleeding.

The walls of JNU are everywhere adorned with wall paintings by ABVP, NSUI and even left student groups. But it is because of the content of the wall paintings that bsCEM is being targeted and attacked by the government and its repressive agencies like NIA and IB. There is a complete suppression of any news of the genocidal war being waged by the government in Bastar to facilitate corporate plunder of the land, forest and water of adivasis. More than 300 people were killed in 2024, most of them being adivasi civilians killed in fake encounters. Even the maoists that were killed were killed in staged encounters and mostly were unarmed combatants. In fact, during the illegal investigation, the officers tried their best to establish bogus links between the banned CPI (Maoist) and bsCEM. During the times of Operation Green Hunt, the walls of JNU were filled with slogans by the erstwhile JNU Forum Against War On People against the operation. However, the difference in treatment of students doing the wall paintings between then and now reveals the attack on democratic space in the country by the fascist government.
Gurkirat Kaur
Executive Committee Member Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch

‘Incomprehensible Brutality’
He was just 21 years old. Gaza resident Adel Tayseer al-Subaih was detained by Israel for nearly a year during the war on Gaza. Throughout his detention, Adel was physically tortured and psychologically abused - most of all when his leg was forcibly amputated, causing a kidney infection and crippling him for life. After his release in a recent prisoner exchange, Adel shared details of his treatment by Israeli guards in prison, and his first reaction upon returning to Gaza.

The testimony of survivors from SdeTeiman, Israel’s torture camp for Palestinians based in the Negev Desert, paints a consistent portrait of inhumanity and savagery with few parallels in modern history.

Meanwhile, hostages who have been released from the captivity of Hamas also narrate their harrowing tales of torture and inhuman treatment.
S Shankar

Back to Home Page

Frontier
Vol 57, No. 37, March 9 - 15, 2025